Food Safety Officer suspended for fraud; issuing fake licences

Food Safety Officer suspended for fraud; issuing fake licences

Mangalore Today News Network

 Sullia, July 3, 2014 : Dayananda, a Food Safety officer   for Sullia, Puttur and Belthangady taluks has been suspended from service on the charges of cheating the government by not remitting the over one crore rupees which he had collected  from traders of the taluks as licence fee under Food Safety and Quality Act. It has also been gathered that the licence which he had issued to a few traders was also fake.

The issue came to light when Dr Praveen Kumar,  Officer of the District Surveillance unit of the Food Safety and Quality Act, investigated based on complaint from traders. Officials have said a  thorough investigation can be  done if the traders  lodge a complaint regarding the cheating.

It has also been gathered that the suspended officer had  collected licence fee from traders in accordance to his whims and fancies in the range of Rs 1000 to Rs 20,000. Sources said he was involved in cheating since the past two years.

Online facility : Dr Praveen Kumar ahs said from March 7, 2014 there is a facility of availing licence through online. Traders can remit a DD for Rs 2000 to the Food Safety Commissioner and secure licence online.

Traders worried : Many traders who have availed licence are now worried whether their licence was fake or authentic.

Vishwanath Rao, President of Sullia Merchants Association has  demanded justice to the affected traders after conducting a suitable investigation into the case.