Telangana: Fake cotton seed racket worth Rs 30 lakh busted; 3 held

Telangana Police busted a spurious cotton seed racket, arresting three people. They seized 12,800 duplicate seed pouches and 2,000 kg of fake seeds, with the total consignment estimated at Rs 30 lakh. The mastermind was facing financial issues.

In a major crackdown on the illegal trade of agricultural inputs, the Telangana Police, in a joint operation conducted by the Malkajgiri and Trimulgherry police teams, busted an alleged spurious cotton seed racket and seized 12,800 duplicate cotton seed pouches along with approximately 2,000 kg of suspected fake cotton seeds. According to police officials, the total value of the seized consignment, including the duplicate packaging material and suspected spurious seeds, is estimated to be around Rs 30 lakh.

Complaint Sparks Investigation

According to the Telangana Police, the enforcement action was initiated after Solanke Yashwanth Rao, Marketing Manager of Narmada Sagar Agri Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Gujarat, lodged a formal complaint with the Trimulgherry Police Station. According to the Telangana Police, the complainant alleged that Yeruva Balashow Reddy, alias Shiva Reddy, Managing Director of New Rythu Sampada Seeds Company, Hyderabad, had illegally printed duplicate cotton seed pouches resembling those of Narmada Sagar Agri Seeds Pvt. Ltd. and intended to use them for packing and marketing suspected spurious cotton seeds without the required approvals and certifications.

Three Arrested in Joint Operation

Acting on credible information, a joint team of the SOT Malkajgiri Team-II and Trimulgherry Police intercepted a Maruti Eeco vehicle at the Bowenpally Vegetable Market Yard, within the limits of the Trimulgherry Police Station. During checking, the team found three persons, identified as Yeruva Balashow Reddy alias Shiva Reddy, Kaparthi Benjimen, and Donga Srinu, transporting 12,800 duplicate cotton seed pouches.

Motive and Modus Operandi

During interrogation, it was revealed that Yeruva Balashow Reddy was facing a financial crisis in his business. To overcome his financial difficulties and earn illegal profits, he, along with his employee Kaparthi Benjimen and designer Donga Srinu, hatched a plan to prepare duplicate cotton seed pouches resembling those of Narmada Sagar Agri Seeds Pvt. Ltd. and use them for packing and marketing suspected spurious cotton seeds as genuine products. The pouch design was prepared by Donga Srinu, a graphic designer, and the pouches were printed at Truepack Flexibles Private Limited, IDA Bahadurpally, Medchal District. The spurious seeds, weighing about 2,000 kg, were procured from farmers and stored in his office at Bandlaguda to be packed into the fake pouches under the brand name and style of Narmada Sagar Agri Seeds Pvt. Ltd.

Further Raids and Total Seizures

Based on the confession of Yeruva Balashow Reddy alias Shiva Reddy, the police team led a raid on his office at Bandlaguda and seized the spurious seeds, which weighed approximately 2,000 kg.

The total recoveries made by the Telangana Police during the operation included 12,800 duplicate cotton seed pouches resembling the branding of Narmada Sagar Agri Seeds Pvt. Ltd. and approximately 2,000 kg of suspected spurious cotton seeds. Additionally, the police also seized one Maruti Eeco vehicle and three mobile phones allegedly used by the accused persons in the operation. (ANI)

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