CBI files preliminary charge sheet in Tamil Nadu Gutka Scam; all six arrested men named

Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a preliminary chargesheet in the gutka case by naming all the six arrested persons in a move to prevent them from getting bail.
Image of CBI Headquarters for representational purpose (File photo | PTI)
Image of CBI Headquarters for representational purpose (File photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a preliminary chargesheet in the gutka case by naming all the six arrested persons in a move to prevent them from getting bail.

All six are entitled to statutory bail if the investigating agency fails to file charge sheet within 90 days of filing of first Information report.

This comes after CBI arrested the promoters and directors of Jayem Group — AV Madhav Rao, Uma Shankar Gupta and P V Srinivasa Rao, E Sivakumar, who was then posted on deputation as Food Safety Officer in Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, Ministry of Health, designated officer of Tiruvallur Food Safety and Drug administration department P Senthil Murugan and  superintendent of customs and excise department N K Pandian.

Sources said that further investigation is on and a fresh chargesheet would be filed later. 

The charge sheet has been filed after CBI raided 35 locations across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Tuticorin, Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Mumbai and Bengaluru, which included premises of Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijay Baskar, Tamil Nadu DGP TK Rajendran, a former Chennai Police Commissioner S George, a former state minister BV Ramana and several other top officials of the central excise, food safety and health departments.

The gutka scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income-Tax sleuths searches offices and residences of Jayem Industries (now known as Annamalai Industries) which had been facing charges of tax evasion worth Rs 250 crore and seized diary containing incriminating evidences allegedly linking top officials of the State. The case further gained prominence after I-T sleuths stumbled upon letters exchanged between I-T department and top bureaucrats of the State over the case in November 2017.

Tax evasion  

The gutka scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income Tax sleuths searched offices and residences of Jayem Industries, which had been facing charges of tax evasion worth Rs 250 crore and seized incriminating evidences allegedly linking top officials of the state.

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