ORDER :

U. Durga Prasad Rao, J.

1. In this petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C., the petitioners-A1 to A4 seek to quash the proceedings against them| in Cr. No. 58 of 2012 of Muppalla Police Station, Guntur District, registered for the offence under Section 420 IPC and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short, 'the E.C. Act').

2. The Vigilance & Enforcement Officer, Guntur, along with Deputy Tahsildar, Civil Supplies inspected the premises of M/s. Sri Lakshmi Srinivasa Rice Traders, Narnepadu Village, of which petitioner-A1 is the Managing Partner. On 12.06.2012 at 3.00 a.m. they found some vehicles were parked and mutha coolies were unloading the rice bags in the mill from Bolero truck bearing registration No. AP7Y3858. On enquiry, the petitioner-A2 stated that himself and A1 took the rice mill on lease in October, 2011 and petitioners-A1 to A4 have been purchasing PDS rice and supplying the levy to the Government. The officials found B-Register was maintained only upto 06.06.2012 and it was not updated. On verification of stock, among other items, they found 160 quintals of PDS rice. The officials thus found that the accused were purchasing PDS rice; not updat