A 34-year-old rice smuggler from Pollachi, who was in the Coimbatore Central Prison as a suspect, was booked under the Goondas Act for his repeated involvement in the smuggling of ration rice from Coimbatore, to the neighbouring state of Kerala.

The Pollachi Police on 17.07.2016 arrested M. Rajapandi, while he was smuggling three tons of ration rice, which was meant to be distributed through the PDS.

The cops retrieved the ration rice, and remanded him to custody, lodging him at the Coimbatore Central Prison on the same day. Further investigations revealed that Rajapandi was a history-sheeter with a long record of smuggling ration rice to Kerala. Various related cases were pending against him.

Based on a suggestion made by the Pollachi Police, District Collector T.N. Hariharan on Monday ordered his arrest under the Goondas Act, and he was shifted to the convict’s quarters in the Central Prison, on Thursday.

The District Administration has also issued a strict warning to all those who intend to sell or smuggle ration rice, which is being provided free of cost by the state government.