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Ten truck drivers people were arrested as Nanded police busted an inter-state racket involving illegal diversion of grains from Food Corporation of India (FCI) to a private company.

Police received a tip-off about alleged siphoning of grains meant to be distributed through the public distribution system (PDS) to the poor and marginalised sections of society through fair price shops. The raid started on Wednesday morning and lasted till late Thursday.

Police seized 10 trucks, each with a capacity of 17 tonnes grain, carrying FCI wheat from a food park in Krushnur industrial area of Nanded district . The 50-acre food park is owned by the son-in-law of a Shiv Sena MLA. They also found over 6,000 bags of wheat belonging to Punjab, MP and Maharashtra governments stashed in a godown in a mega agro-processing company in the food park.

Police said the consignment seized was worth over Rs 1 crore. The park has been used by the agro-processing firm, which is known for cattle feed, flour mill and biscuit manufacturing. The company is also into exporting agro and related products.

A case was registered against the company owner, managers, transporters and others. tnn

