Gondia, Oct 14 (PTI) An offence has been registered against 15 persons in connection with embezzlement of paddy stocks worth Rs 1.55 crore in Maharashtra's Gondia district, police said on Friday.

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Based on a complaint, the police have registered a case under section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and other relevant provisions of the IPC, an official said.

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Officials of the district marketing federation and district supply office failed to find some 8,000 quintals of paddy worth around Rs 1,55 crore procured by an agro society.

The agro society was permitted to procure paddy from the farmers on MSP (minimum supportive price) for the 2021-22 season and it had the responsibility of procuring and storing paddy.

As per regulations, the marketing federation office issues DO to the respective rice millers for lifting paddy stock for cutom milling, but the society did not allow millers to do so, the official said.

Godowns of the society in Sakhritola and Rondha were inspected, and paddy stock of 8,000 quintals worth Rs 1.55 crore were found to have been embezzled, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)