PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday gave a clean chit to the Civil Supplies Department saying there was no link of any officials to the grain smuggling racket and that it was fair price shop owners who were involved.
“The quota which was not picked up by beneficiaries is sold directly by certain Fair Price Shop owners. This was the stock raided by the Crime Branch," Sawant said while speaking to the media about the case.
Sawant said, officials or staff of the Civil Supplies department have not sold the stock directly to the open market.
Nonetheless, whoever is responsible for the racket will be dealt with and arrested, the chief minister said.
"I have also sought the details of Fair Price Shops. The investigation is not over. It is going on," Sawant said.
The Goa Police's Crime Branch had on Tuesday raided a private godown at Nagzar, Curti and arrested five persons. Several vehicles were seized with stocks of grain worth several lakhs of rupees being allegedly smuggled to the neighbouring state of Karnataka.
The CB team was orking on a lead for over a week and had formed three teams “ each headed by a police inspector - to raid the premises at Curti, Kundaim and Borim and another batch of officers was sent to Hubli to apprehend Prakash Korishettar.
The Civil Supplies Department, meanwhile, has reported that there is no discrepancy in the stock of food grains in its 11 godowns across the State. The Crime Branch has also started inspection at the Civil Supplies godown at Bethora, Ponda as part of its probe.
