Nagpur:In a significant operation, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Nagpur has seized pan masala and scented tobacco worth 80 lakhs. On July 16, 2024, based on confidential information received by the FDA’s intelligence department, a container (KA 01 AM 1681, Bharat Banz) traveling on the Jabalpur-Nagpur National Highway No. 44 was tracked and intercepted near Kumbhalkar Restaurant, Khandala Patate Shivar, Jabalpur-Nagpur National Highway No. 44, P.O. Station Kanhan, Parshivni Taluka, Nagpur District.
Upon inspection, the container was found to be transporting 5772 kg of SS One scented tobacco and Shikhar pan masala, valued at Rs. 79,86,178/-. These products are banned for sale, storage, and transportation in Maharashtra as per the notification no. Asuma/A-Notification-496/7, dated July 18, 2023.
The entire stock and the container were seized under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2009 and brought to the Kanhan Police Station, Parshivni Taluka, Nagpur District for further action.
Following the investigation, a case was registered at Kanhan Police Station against:
1. Container driver Vipin Rana
2. Container cleaner Amit Rana
3. Mukesh Chahal, owner of M/s Chetan Cargo, Gurugram, Haryana
4. Dinesh Verma, owner of Verma Roadways, Kanpur
5. Owner of M/s Sanjay Mills Agency, Delhi
6. Deepak Agarwal, owner of M/s K.R.K. International, Bangalore
Charges were filed under sections 223, 274, 275, and 123 of the Indian Penal Code 2023.
This operation was conducted under the guidance of Mr. Abhimanyu Kale, Food Safety Commissioner, and Dr. Rahul Khade, Joint Commissioner (Vigilance), FDA (M.S.), Mumbai, with the team comprising Assistant Commissioner (Vigilance) Mr. Anand Mahajan, Food Safety Officer (Vigilance) Mr. Yaduraj Dahatonde, and Food Safety Officers Mr. Lalit Soyam and Mr. Amarnath Sontakke from Nagpur.
.. Narendar Puri
