T cracks down on rice hoarding, price manipulation; 35 criminal cases booked | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: In a major statewide enforcement drive against artificial scarcity and price manipulation, the civil supplies department has booked dozens of cases against rice traders and dealers accused of overpricing, hoarding and other unfair trade practices.Acting on directions from civil supplies commissioner M Stephen Raveendra, the department’s enforcement task force, in coordination with the legal metrology department, conducted joint raids across the state between Oct 29 and Nov 5.Officials said govt has fixed maximum retail prices for commonly consumed rice varieties to protect consumers. The retail price of BPT/KNM rice has been capped at ₹66 per kg, RNR/Telangana Sona at ₹74 per kg and HMT/JSR at ₹79 per kg. Millers and traders have been directed to prominently print these MRPs on all 26-kg rice bags to ensure transparency.During the week-long drive, ETF teams carried out 1,141 surprise inspections at rice mills, wholesale establishments and retail outlets. The inspections led to the registration of 55 cases and 35 criminal cases against violators. Simultaneously, the legal metrology department conducted 1,545 inspections and booked 280 cases for violations related to weights and measures.According to officials, inspections revealed widespread irregularities aimed at misleading consumers. Several traders were found selling rice bags labelled as 26 kg despite containing only 25 kg. Authorities also detected instances of traders concealing original manufacturer prices with inflated price stickers, hoarding public distribution system (PDS) rice and operating without mandatory GST or FSSAI registrations.Officials said the department is considering invoking the Preventive Detention Act against habitual offenders involved in hoarding PDS rice and manipulating market prices. Such offenders could also face prosecution under the Essential Commodities Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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