SI arrested for helping fake cotton seed racket for ₹100/kg commission | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: A sub-inspector allegedly helped a fake cotton seed racket operate in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district in return for a commission of ₹100 per kg. The SI, Segyam Venkatesh, currently posted in the special branch in Mulugu district, allegedly facilitated the sale of fake cotton seeds worth around ₹20 lakh during the previous cotton season.Kumuram Bheem Asifabad SP Nithika Panth said on Monday that Venkatesh was arrested from his residence in Kagaznagar and produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. He was named as accused No. 3 (A-3) after investigators examined phone records and other evidence linking him to the racket.“The case came to light in Aug when police conducting vehicle checks near Adilabad X Roads in Asifabad found around two quintals of fake cotton seeds in four bags inside a car. The seeds were being transported by Sheikh Salman and A Venugopal Reddy, both of whom were arrested and remanded in connection with the case,” the SP said.During their recent interrogation, the two accused reportedly disclosed Venkatesh’s role in the racket, prompting police to investigate his alleged links with the traders.According to the SP, Venkatesh came into contact with Salman when he was working as a task force SI in the district and had taken him into custody in an earlier case involving the sale of fake cotton seeds. Salman later introduced Venugopal Reddy, a trader from Rajanna Sircilla district, to Venkatesh.During the previous cotton season, Salman and Venugopal Reddy allegedly approached Venkatesh for help in selling fake cotton seeds. The three reportedly struck a deal under which the SI would receive ₹100 for every kilogram of seeds sold.With Venkatesh’s alleged indirect assistance, Venugopal Reddy supplied about 40 quintals of fake cotton seeds, valued at around ₹20 lakh, to Salman in three consignments, the SP said.Of the total stock, around 35 quintals were allegedly sold through intermediaries, while the remaining five quintals were stored at a poultry farm in Nennel mandal. Police intercepted the car when two quintals from the stock were being transported, leading to the seizure that triggered the investigation.Investigators subsequently examined phone conversations between Venugopal Reddy and Venkatesh, along with other evidence, before including the SI as an accused in the case, Panth said.Venkatesh was transferred to Mulugu district in Feb this year and was serving as an SB SI there when he was arrested. Police are investigating the case to establish the full extent of the racket and the roles played by those involved.