The FDA clarified that the action was based on alleged violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act
NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has raided a Pune shop owned by the family of Siya Goyal, one of the accused in the murder of realtor Ketan Agarwal, and seized food products worth more than Rs 8 lakh over alleged violations of food safety norms.The inspection was carried out at M/s BG Goyal & Company, owned by Pravin Goyal, Siya Goyal’s father, in Pune’s Market Yard on July 14. Officials said 4,172 kg of food products valued at Rs 8,14,630 were seized after the establishment was allegedly found operating a storeroom without a licence, violating labelling norms and stocking products suspected to be substandard or unsafe.The FDA clarified that the action was based on alleged violations under the Food Safety and Standards Act and has not stated that the raid was linked to the ongoing murder investigation involving Siya Goyal.During the inspection, officials collected four samples for laboratory analysis. The samples included ‘Sant’ and ‘Sadhu’ brand turmeric powder, sesame seeds and soya mini chunks. The seized stock comprised 598 kg of one brand of turmeric powder, 1,258 kg of another brand, 538 kg of sesame seeds and 1,778 kg of soya mini chunks.According to the FDA, the firm had also failed to make the necessary corrections to its licence details. “Considering the violations, a notice has been issued directing the firm to stop its business activities until further orders,” an official said.The raid was conducted by Food Safety Officers KL Sonkamble and Pratik Jadhav under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner Nilesh Khose. Pune Zone functions under Joint Commissioner (Food) DW Bhogawade.Meanwhile, the investigation into Ketan Agarwal’s death continues. Siya Goyal (20) and her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary (22) are in judicial custody after being accused of pushing Agarwal, her fiancé, off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district during a trek on June 18.Police have also sent a Crime Branch team to Rajasthan after learning that Goyal and Chaudhary had travelled there in December last year. Investigators are probing whether the pair secretly married at a temple, although officials said no CCTV footage was found to confirm the claim.Separately, investigators are verifying a Snapchat message allegedly sent by Goyal in May in which she reportedly told a friend that her planned wedding to Agarwal “was not going to take place”, weeks before his death.
