Stories
Direct suspension of five senior FDA officials over betel nut disposal scandal
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News18•19-10-2026, 12:08
Direct suspension of five senior FDA officials over betel nut disposal scandal
- •The Food and Drug Administration has directly suspended five senior officials over a major scandal involving the disposal of a betel nut stock worth around 10 crore rupees in Malegaon.
- •The destruction of the seized 252.38 tonnes of betel nut was recorded on paper, but serious irregularities came to light regarding its actual disposal process.
- •Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal has confirmed this major disciplinary suspension action.
- •The suspended officials include Nashik Joint Commissioner Avinash Dabhade, Amit Raskar, Gopal Kasar, Mumbai Joint Commissioner Yogesh Deshmukh, and Dhule Assistant Commissioner Suvarna Mahajan.
Key Questions Answered
Five senior FDA officials were suspended due to serious irregularities and chaos surrounding the actual disposal process of a seized betel nut stock worth around 10 crore rupees in Malegaon, where 252.38 tonnes were recorded as destroyed on paper.
The suspended officials include Nashik Joint Commissioner Avinash Dabhade, Amit Raskar, Gopal Kasar, Mumbai Joint Commissioner Yogesh Deshmukh, and Dhule Assistant Commissioner Suvarna Mahajan.
Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal officially confirmed the suspension action taken against the five senior officials.
