Mumbai: The state govt has suspended four Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officers and initiated departmental inquiries against 21 other officers over alleged serious irregularities in enforcement action against two companies accused of possessing banned tobacco products.
Speaking to
TOI, FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said this is an old case that happened much prior to his tenure. “I had sent this proposal way back in July or August. That is why it is now under investigation,” he said.
There were procedural lapses in cases involving High Street Impex LLP in Thane and SOEX India Pvt Ltd in Maval taluka. Both the companies are involved in manufacturing and exporting tobacco and related products.
Mundhe said the four suspended officers -- joint commissioner (food) Digambar Bhogawade, assistant commissioner (food) Yaduraj Dahatonde, and food safety officers Ashok Ilager and C R Swami -- will remain on suspension until further notice.
While Dahatonde is from Nagpur, the other three are from Pune division.
In the High Street Impex case, the action was initiated under food safety laws despite the product carrying the label ‘Not for edible use/Only for use in hookah for smoking purpose’.
In the SOEX India case, FDA’s special flying squad conducted a raid at the company’s premises in Takwe village of Maval taluka earlier this year. The team had seized 5,48,488 kg of banned tobacco products valued at Rs 31.67 crore and sealed the company’s premises. The inquiry also examined questions relating to the jurisdiction of the officials involved in the operation.
Meanwhile, the suspension has created confusion within the FDA with officers accusing one another. An assistant commissioner said there is an officer in Bhiwandi who should have been suspended, but instead someone else was. “The sampling was done by her. She is a food safety officer,” the officer said. Another said nothing has been communicated to them as of now on who the other 21 are.
