Hyderabad: Two persons were arrested in connection with selling spurious seeds to farmers, in Karimnagar on Tuesday, in a joint operation by the task force police, agriculture officials and Manakondur police.
The accused were identified as Nuka Rajesham, a resident of the Peddapalli district’s Sultanabad town and Erukulla Vedaprakash, a native of Matwada village, Warangal.
According to the commissioner of police, L Subbarayudu, the accused Rajesham and Vedaprakash earlier operated seed and fertilizer shops. Due to a loss in business, they planned to sell spurious seeds and targeted farmers who were their customers.
The police official said that the accused were also selling an expired BG2 cotton variety seed by projecting it as BG3 seed.
“Police got a tip-off, following which the suspects were kept under police surveillance. The gang was later busted and police arrested two persons at Manakondur tank. A third person named Sathish from Pedapalli is absconding and an investigation is going on to nab him,” said the official.
Following the raid, police recovered fake seeds worth Rs 1 lakh, 19 steel boxes and 31 seed packets with labels of Sai Divya. 20 empty packets were also recovered from the accused.
The commissioner of police has warned of criminal cases against those found selling the banned variety of seeds to farmers, adding that the PD (Preventive Detention) Act would also be invoked against them.
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