Fake cotton seed worth about ₹ 70 lakh seized

Seven members of two gangs held, 29.2 quintals of fake seeds recovered

June 08, 2021 07:49 pm | Updated 07:49 pm IST - SURYAPET

In a major seizure since the State police and the Agriculture department got the act together to check fake seeds and fertilizers last week, the Suryapet police on Monday seized a whopping 29.2 quintals of fake seeds worth about ₹ 70 lakh in two separate incidents.

Superintendent of Police R. Bhaskaran presented the two gangs of accused, of three and four members each, before media persons and disclosed the details on Tuesday. The arrests and raids to seize the suspected fake BT3 cotton seed were based on tip-offs, and already the district police has formed five teams of officers for Telangana and neighbouring States as part of the investigation, he said.

The first incident was recorded in the limits of Arvapally police station, where three persons were arrested and 2,490 kilograms of the packaged seed was recovered. Following a chain, it was found that Koduru village’s K. Srinivas, who was first nabbed, has been procuring the seed from one Veeranjaneyulu who settled in Karnataka, through his brother Satish.

Pentyala Veeranjaneyulu, who the police believe is the kingpin, hails from Andhra Pradesh. He has been practising agriculture in parts of Karnataka, and later in the 32 acre lands started producing BT-II and BT-III seed. Following a chemical treatment in a mill, the seeds are processed and then distributed to parts of Telangana via the family route. The main accused, police said, was out on bail in an earlier related case in Kalwakurthy police limits, but later shifted his residence to Hyderabad and resumed operations.

In the second case, one Jatangi Satyanarayana had preserved about 72 kgs of fake seed at his residence at Annaram village in Thungathurthy police limits. Police probing revealed his sources, Ram Murali and Vijay Bhaskar, from whom another 360 kg fake seeds were recovered. The police have booked the seven persons for criminal conspiracy, cheating and under various charges as per The Essential Commodities Act, The Environment (Protection) Act and The Seeds Act.

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