Maharashtra: Thane shopkeeper held for stocking banned gutka worth Rs 5.44 lakh

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Police in Maharashtra's Thane district has arrested a shopkeeper for allegedly stocking banned gutka worth Rs 5.44 lakh in his outlet.

News agency PTI reported quoting an official from Narpoli police station that acting on a tip-off, a team of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided the shop located at Purna village in Bhiwandi area on Saturday and seized the stock.

It's important to note that the sale and consumption of gutka, scented, and flavored tobacco have been prohibited in Maharashtra since 2012.

The 28-year-old shopkeeper was arrested and booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the FDA regulations, the official quoted in the PTI report said.

FDA food safety officer Rajendra Kardak, who led the raid, said the sale of gutka has been rampant at outlets in the district. "We have been instructed to unearth all such sources and take action against them," he added.

On October 22, Gutka and banned tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh were smuggled in consignments marked as clothes in Thane.

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The matter came to light when an alert godown owner in Bhiwandi received a suspicious consignment from a transporter and he alerted the local police, assistant police inspector Somnath Karnavar-Patil of the Narpoli police station said, reported PTI.

On inspection, the police recovered banned gutka and tobacco products worth Rs 9.96 lakh from boxes marked as clothes. The goods had arrived between October 29 and November 1, he said, reported PTI.

The alleged accused packed the banned goods in cartons marked as clothes and showed the consignment as clothing in the tax invoice as well, the official said, adding that the consignment arrived from Surat in neighbouring Gujarat, reported PTI.

An offence has been registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Food Security and Standards Act, FDA regulations, Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations and Food Safety & Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations Act, he said, reported PTI.

Earlier on October 11, police in Mumbai sezied nearly Rs 16 lakh worth of gutka from a tempo and apprehended one individual in connection.

Acting on a tip-off, the police set up an operation and intercepted the tempo at Pramila Nagar in the Dahisar area on Saturday, as stated by the official from MHB police station.

The police successfully seized the illegal gutka and arrested a 31-year-old man, with the vehicle being impounded, the official mentioned. Additionally, efforts are underway to locate three other associates linked to the accused, the official noted.

The arrested individual has a history of multiple criminal cases. In present case, the accused has been charged under pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 328 (causing harm by administering poison with intent to commit an offense), along with provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, as per the police statement. (With inputs from PTI)