CHENNAI: Nearly a month after 200 cartons of gutka and panmasala was seized from Thirukkural Express at Madurai Railway station, a city-based NGO has said that no FIR has been registered in the case so far despite handing over video-evidence of smuggling of the contraband.
Addressing a press meet here, Jayaram Venkatesan, convener of Arappor Iyakkam, said based on a tip-off from the NGO, a raid was conducted by Railway Vigilance and around 200 cartons of gutka and panmasala was seized from Thirukkural Express from Delhi to Kanniyakumari.
But, the authorities failed to take any further action in this regard. Also, no FIR has been registered till date. The samples of seized contraband were sent to the food safety department for testing. The authorities had then said that as per rules gutka and panmasala were not contraband.
However, Tamil Nadu food safety commissioner P Amudha pointed out the 2016 Supreme Court order banning manufacture, sale and distribution of gutka.
The NGO urged the authorities to take action against those involved in smuggling the contraband.