Government grain worth ₹29 lakh seized from private warehouse in Junagadh

A major network involved in the illegal diversion of government grain has been exposed following sudden raids conducted by the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) in the Bilkha and Bantva regions of Junagadh district. During the investigation, a large quantity of illegally stored government ration was recovered from a private warehouse. The SMC team has seized total goods worth ₹29 lakh in this operation, and a case has been registered against 21 individuals involved in this scam.

According to reports from Sandesh, intelligence had been received regarding the large-scale illegal diversion of government grain in the Junagadh region. Based on this information, the State Monitoring Cell carried out simultaneous raids in the Bilkha and Bantva areas. During these raids, private warehouses were intensively inspected, revealing that these warehouses were being used to hide government grain. This grain, allocated by the government for the poor and needy families, was being misappropriated by scammers.

SMC officials conducted a thorough inspection of all the grain stocks present in the warehouse. Preliminary investigations have revealed a shocking method of collecting the grain. Individuals connected to this network were operating rickshaws from village to village, roaming through villages to engage in the illegal purchase of government grain. They would collect government ration from poor families at low prices using rickshaws.

The illegally purchased grain was then delivered directly to private warehouses, where large quantities were being accumulated. Subsequently, a systematic conspiracy was in place to release this ration into the market at higher prices. This entire scam had been being operated in an organised manner for a long time. Due to this crackdown by the SMC, the entire racket has been exposed. Strict action has been initiated against all the accused under legal provisions.