VASCO: A truck driver was arrested after he was caught offloading rice bags of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and selling them to a family at Sancoale.

According to reports, an alert journalist intercepted the truck driver, Anvar Sagar, in the process of illegally selling the rice to the family.

text-align: justify;">When confronted, Sagar told Herald that the truck (GA-09-T-0394), belonging to Abay Prabhu of Ponda, was on contract with the FCI at Headland Sada, Mormugao.

The truck driver further informed that he had taken a load of 270 rice bags to a Balwadi at Nuvem and on his return, had sold three rice bags to the Naik family.

Sagar admitted that he sold three rice bags at Rs 450 per bag to one Digambar Naik and Naik admitted that he had purchased the rice for home consumption at a cheaper rate.

The journalist then notified Mormugao Mamlatdar Laxmikant Dessai, who directed Mormugao Civil Supplies Inspector Datesh Sakhardande to investigate into the matter and to file a police complaint.

Sakhardande confirmed that the truck belonged to Prabhu, who was summoned to Sancoale. Sakhardande later inspected Naik’s house and found six more rice bags at his residence.

Prabhu, who dashed to the site at Sancoale, said the consignment was dispatched to a Balwadi at Nuvem under the SABALA Scheme. “I used to always inform my drivers not to get into such illegal activities after the Ponda case,” said Prabhu.

However, Sakhardande ruled out that the bags were from the same batch as it had different ink marking, but admitted that the six bags were from the FCI godowns at Headland Sada.

Sakhardande informed Verna Police, who rushed to the site and conducted the panchanama. Police later arrested the truck driver and detained the truck.

When asked about the actual price of a rice bag, Sakhardande said the rice bags are supplied to fair price shops at Rs 895. “But the drivers sell it illegally to others at a much cheaper rate,” he added.

Speaking to Herald, Sakhardande said he has filed a complaint with Verna Police for further investigation. “I have seized the material and handed it over to the police,” he said.