FDA officer suspended for alleged misbehaviour in Munde's

A Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) official was today suspended for allegedly creating a scene at the office of Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde.

FDA minister Girish Bapat announced suspension of class II officer from Bhiwandi, R D Akrupe, in the House.

Munde alleged that the officer created ruckus over a calling-attention notice Munde had moved over the ban on gutka last week. Despite the ban, gutka was being smugged in from other states, the NCP leader had said then.

R D Akrupe, a class II FDA officer, came to his office with a BJP MLA from Udgir, and threatened Munde's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), asking how could the NCP leader raise the issue in the House, Munde claimed today.

"A probe by the FDA has proved corruption charges against Akrupe, and the matter reached the office of Vice President of India as the officer holds a post under the Constitution," Munde said.

Following the probe, the FDA commissioner had 'de-notified' the officer, the Leader of Opposition said.

Wanting to know who was behind the officer's misbehaviour, Munde demanded his suspension.

Leader of the House and Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said that announcing suspension in this manner would be problematic. "The officer may approach the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT)," he said.

However, Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar directed the government to probe the incident and suspend the officer in the meantime. Issue of MAT case could be dealt with later, he said.

Nimbalkar had to adjourn the proceedings twice, as members argued that business of the House can not continue till the issue was sorted out.

Earlier, during a debate on a starred question on ban on gutka and some other food items, Bapat announced that the government will amend sections 272 to 276 of the Indian Penal Code (which deal with adulteration) to make the offence of possession or sale of such items non-bailable.

Provisions of stringent acts such as the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act (MPDA) and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) would be invoked against the offenders, the minister said.

After the ban came into effect, Rs 114 crore-worth gutka was seized and destroyed, Bapat said.

Anil Parab (Shiv Sena) said some gutka brands are manufactured in slums in Mumbai and they contain "tails of dead lizards and intoxicating chemicals".

These illicit manufacturers have links with gangsters and other anti-social elements, the Sena leader said.