Mulki: Officials of the food department seized 47.5 quintals of rice meant for Govt’s Anna Bhagya scheme stored illegally here at Haleyangadi.

The team led by Tahsildar Mohan Rao and food inspector Vasu Shetty raided one house and a shop on Wednesday. The house near Padupanamboor agricultural bank had stored the rice illegally. 16 sacks of rice weighing 3.5 quintal and 3 sacks weighing 24kgs filled with wheat were also seized.

During interrogation,  Mayyadi, complainant told officials that a person named Ismail had stored the rice in his residence. A general store near Haleyangadi market was also raided and officials seized 45 kg of rice.  Shop owner Badruddin, during interrogation,  said that in the last three months people are buying other things after returning rice. As nobody is buying rice we have stored it, he said.

As per the orders given by Tahsildar, a case has been registered by the food department officials.

Mangalore Tahsildar Mohan Rao, sub-tahsildar Pushparaj Shetty, Food department sub tahsildar Laxman Reddy, food department sub director Sharana Basappa, and V A Umesh Nayak were present.

The raids were prompted by the many complaints from the public.

The ambitious Anna Bhagya project of the state