Vijayawada: Civil Supplies Minister Nadendala Manohar on Tuesday said the government has filed a criminal case against JS Godowns, owned by Perni Jayasudha, wife of former minister and YSRC leader Perni Nani, over “mishandling” of PDS ration rice stored in private godowns.
Speaking to the media in Tenali on Tuesday, Manohar said that the investigation report showed that 243 metric tonnes of rice including 4,840 sacks were missing from the JS godown.
“The police, revenue and civil supplies department will investigate and take action against embezzlers,” said the minister.
He said that a three-member committee consisting of RDO, Civil Supply Manager and Assistant Controller of Legal Weights Department has been formed to investigate PDS irregularities.
Manohar said JS Warehouse wrote the letter on November 27, soon after the state government’s decision to implement the warehouse management system software scheme. The objective of this software is to collect details about stock available in godown, stock to be stored and paddy to be purchased for next season and transfer to godown.
“In the letter, the warehouse said there was a shortage of about three thousand sacks of rice due to technical problems at the weigh bridge and offered to pay for the missing sacks of rice,” Nadendala said. He alleged that JS Warehouse tried to destroy records by tampering with stock register and weigh bridge.
The JS Godown was handed over to the Civil Supplies Department in 2021. The minister said that 243 metric tons of rice with a storage capacity of 5,000 metric tons was embezzled by the Perni family for personal gain.
He said that although JS Godown has paid 22.23 million for the lost sack of rice, the government will apply the rule of law and take appropriate action against the Parni family.