Gutka scam: CBI seizes machinery

CHENNAI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers on Friday questioned

police

inspector Sampath Kumar at their Nungambakkam office in connection with the gutka scam. CBI sources said Sampath Kumar’s sealed house in Chennai was searched in his presence by officials.

Sampath Kumar is one of the policemen whose houses were searched by the CBI in the gutka scam two weeks ago. Apart from him, CBI also searched the houses of former Chennai police commissioner S George, DGP T K Rajendran, health minister C Vijayabaskar and former minister B V Ramanna.

CBI sources said on Thursday, officials went to the premises of gutka baron

A V Madhava Rao

’s factory in north Chennai and took stock of the inventory. Sources said more than 50 machines and ingredients for gutka were seized from the premises. Rao is a director of Annamalai Industries.

The CBI in New Delhi is conducting an investigation into the gutka scam after the case was transferred from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) based on a public interest litigation by a DMK legislator.

The case pertains to the illegal sale and manufacture of the tobacco product in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Manufacture, storage and sale of chewable forms of tobacco, including gutka and pan masala, were banned by the state government in 2013.

The CBI had conducted searches at 35 places across Tamil Nadu on September 5.

The illegal sale of banned tobacco products in Tamil Nadu first came to light in 2016 after an income tax raid at the residence of Madhava Rao, who is also the proprietor of MDM gutka. During the raids, the department seized a diary containing the names of those who were believed to have been paid off by the gutka manufacturers, which allegedly included the names of health minister C Vijayabaskar, T K Rajendran and George.