Cotton weighing scam: 14 arrested in Yavatmal district | Nagpur News

Yavatmal: A shocking case of alleged malpractice in cotton procurement has come to light in Arni taluka of Yavatmal district, where traders were allegedly found manipulating weighing scales using remote devices to cheat farmers. Based on complaints, a case has been registered against 14 accused, all of whom have been arrested, from Barshi Takli in Akola.Following suspension of procurement by Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), farmers have now turned to private traders for selling their produce. Traders offering higher prices have been preferred by farmers, creating an opportunity for some to exploit the situation.According to reports, the accused were offering rates higher by 200 per quintal compared to local traders, attracting large number of farmers. However, during transactions, they allegedly used remote-controlled electronic weighing scales to reduce the recorded weight of cotton.The fraud came to light when a farmer, Ramesh Rathod from Amboda village, brought his cotton for sale. During the weighing process, he grew suspicious of scale readings. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the weight was being manipulated using a remote device. Rathod immediately raised an alarm, drawing attention of other farmers present at the site.He informed the police, who rushed to the spot and seized vehicles, electronic weighing machines, and remote devices from accused. A case was registered, all 14 traders were taken into custody.