SI held in Asifabad for alleged role in spurious cotton seed smuggling

A Sub-Inspector working with the Special Branch in Mulugu was arrested for allegedly helping smugglers procure and sell spurious cotton seeds in Asifabad. Police cited call records, confession statements and other evidence, and alleged links to additional illegal trading activities.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: A Sub-Inspector (SI) was arrested on Monday for allegedly helping smugglers trade spurious cotton seeds in the district.

Briefing the media on the arrest, SP Nitika Pant said S Venkatesh, a former task force SI, was apprehended for his alleged role in smuggling spurious cotton seeds. Venkatesh is currently working with the Special Branch in Mulugu district. He had previously worked at Bejjur, Sirpur (T) and Kagaznagar police stations.

---

Nitika said investigations revealed that Venkatesh had helped Shaik Salman of Bheemini smuggle spurious cotton seeds by introducing him to Venugopal Reddy, an alleged smuggler from Rajanna Sircilla district. Venkatesh allegedly accepted a commission of Rs 100 per kg. Salman came into contact with Venkatesh when the latter was a task force SI, after Salman was arrested in connection with a spurious seed smuggling case reported in 2025.

Salman and Venugopal were arrested for allegedly smuggling spurious seeds at Adilabad crossroads in Asifabad on August 11. Police seized two quintals of seeds from their possession. The two reportedly confessed to procuring 40 quintals of seeds with Venkatesh’s help a few months earlier. They admitted to selling 35 quintals and storing the remaining seeds at a poultry farm in Bheemini.

The SP said Venkatesh had spoken to Salman on several occasions, as confirmed by call data records verified by investigators. Based on Salman’s confession, telephone conversations and other evidence, Venkatesh was identified as the third accused in the case. He was detained at his residence in Kagaznagar, she said.

The SI was also found to have allegedly been involved in two spurious seed smuggling cases registered under Asifabad police station and one within Rebbena police station limits in recent times. Investigators were also surprised to find that he had allegedly backed gutka traders and those diverting PDS rice in exchange for bribes.