CBI arrests four in connection with gutkha scam, including govt officials and MDM gutkha manufacturers

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested four persons, including the promoters and directors of Jayem Industries and officers of the Food Safety and Drug Administration and excise department, in connection with the multi-crore gutkha scam in Tamil Nadu. [caption id=“attachment_5128271” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] A CBI source told IANS the agency arrested Jayem Industries promoters and directors AV Madhav Rao and Uma Shankar Gupta. The source said it had also arrested a designated officer of the Food Safety and Drug Administration department, P Senthil Murugan, and a Superintendent of the Central Excise Department, NK Pandian. The arrests come a day after the CBI searched over 35 places in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Puducherry, Chennai, Tiruvallur and Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. It raided the premises of Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabasker and DGP TK Rajendran, prompting calls for their resignation. The CBI on 29 May registered a case against unknown officials of the Central Excise, Tamil Nadu government, Food Safety Department, public servants and private persons on charges of criminal conspiracy and for corruption following a direction of the Madras High Court on 26 April. Its probe relates to the illegal manufacture, import, supply, distribution and sale of gutkha and other forms of chewable tobacco which are banned in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.