Food Officer Arrested In Connection With Gutkha Scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested E Sivakumar, an officer at the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India reports India Today. The officer was found connected to the Gutkha scam in the state of Tamil Nadu. After being produced to the CBI special court in the Madras High Court, Sivakumar has been sent to judicial custody till 4^th October.

Gutkha Scam Investigation

The report further says that the CBI has even conducted raids at the houses of C Vijayabaskar, Tamil Nadu Health Minister, TK Rajendran, Director General of Police earlier this month. Five people have been arrested along with Sivakumar in connection to the scam. These people include AV Madhava Rao and Uma Shankar Gupta who promote private gutkha companies, P Senthil Murugan who is a Food Safety and Drug Administration official and P Senthil Murugan, Superintendent of Central Excise Department NK Pandian.

“To ensure manufacturing, storage and sale of gutkha in Tamil Nadu, a private manufacturer had allegedly paid several crores to the state health minister, senior IPS officer and other officials of the government,” said CBI to India Today.

In-article Image: DNA India