In a yet another recovery in undivided Nalgonda, the task force police here has arrested a 13-member inter-State gang and seized spurious seed worth ₹ 6 crore.
In all, 20 tonnes of cotton seed worth ₹ 4 crore and 200 tonnes of paddy, maize and other vegetable seeds worth about ₹ 2 crore were recovered, Inspector General (West Zone) M. Stephen Ravindra said, addressing media persons here on Friday.
Flanked by Inspector General (Hyderabad Range) Shiva Shanker Reddy and District Superintendent of Police A.V. Ranganath, he said the State-wide drive against fake seed was being taken seriously. So far 142 cases have been recorded, including the latest case, in 13 districts recovering fake seeds worth about ₹ 27. 13 crore, he said.
According to Mr. Ranganath, the latest seizure was possible with tip-offs from farmers in Devarakonda, following which the task force teams started investigation a fortnight ago.
One of the first suspects was Karnati Madhusudan Reddy of Nandyal, against who Preventive Detention Act was invoked here last year for the same offence. But investigation revealed that he resumed distribution of processed fake seeds along with his network in Mahabubnagar, Khammam, Nalgonda, Warangal and Hyderabad.
And following the trail, raids were conducted in Gajwel, Nandyal, Allagadda, Gadwal, Mahabubnagar and Medchal, and ₹6-crore worth material was recovered, avoiding crop losses in about 40,000 acres, Mr. Ranganath said.
He further explained that one Yenubothula Srinivas Reddy of Gundlapochampally in Medchal, who owns ‘Nairtuhi Seeds’, is the prime accused now.
Mr. Srinivas Reddy has been selling seeds for the past four years with no certification or licence, but printed labels and QR codes. He would also erase prints and resell the expired seeds.
The police explained that the seed stock was generated by collecting rejected seeds, expired seeds, cotton seed from ginning mills, which are in turn processed with chemicals and packed as new.
Of the many ploys, the accused has also used Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as a certifying agency and printed the logos on packages.
Mr. Ranganath said all the 13 were booked while three were absconding.
The district police in the past six years has booked 22 cases for spurious seeds and PD Act invoked against four persons, he said.
