Telangana HC Grants Anticipatory Bail to Rice Mill Owner Accused of Misappropriating Paddy Stock Telangana

By L. Ravichander

The Telangana High Court granted anticipatory bail to the proprietor of a rice mill alleged who allegedly misappropriated paddy stock worth `1.32 crore.

Justice J. Sridevi was dealing with a petition filed by Chakinarapu Saritha. It was alleged by the district manager, Telangana Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Mancherial, that during Kharif 2021-22, 2,017.280 metric tonnes (MTs) of paddy was allotted to Shivamani Rice Mill, Shivalingapur, Chennur mandal, for custom milling.

The petitioner only delivered 1,095.771 MTs of custom-milled rice. It was alleged by the complainant that during the course of inspection, it was found that the petitioner diverted the paddy/rice for pecuniary advantage in violation of the agreement entered with the district manager, TSCSCL, and misappropriated paddy stock worth `1,32,73,145. The petitioner contended that due to heavy rain, the paddy in the mill was damaged and the same was informed to the officials. The petitioner contended that a panchanama was conducted by the deputy tahsildar and it was found that the paddy was damaged due to heavy rain.

It was the case of the petitioner that though the district manager, TSCSCL, Mancherial, had given a report stating that the paddy was damaged due to heavy rain, he also lodged the present complaint after two years stating that the petitioner misappropriated the paddy, which was in complete contradiction and violation of earlier report. Counsel for the petitioner argued that failure on the part of the petitioner to deliver custom-milled rice was a violation of the agreement and the remedy provided in the agreement was to approach the civil court to enforce the terms of the agreement or to recover amount due, but it was not a criminal offence.

The judge granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner inter alia subject to condition that he shall abide by the other conditions stipulated in Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and co-operate with the investigating officer. The judge accordingly allowed the criminal petition.

This article has been republished from The Deccan Chronicle.