Thane: Police seize banned gutka, tobacco products worth Rs 8 lakh

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In a recent operation, the police in Maharashtra's Thane district confiscated banned gutka and tobacco products worth approximately Rs 8 lakh, as reported on Friday.

The raid on a paan stall on Wednesday by the Shanti Nagar police in the Bhiwandi region was the result of a tip-off, which led to the crackdown. Authorities raided the booth and found that, in violation of state laws protecting public health, it was illegally keeping and selling tobacco goods and gutka, PTI reported.

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According to the report, the police confiscated the seized articles, which were worth at Rs 7.77 lakh. An FIR has been filed against Farman Ahmad Manzoor Ansari (24), the stall operator, and three other people participating in the illicit activities.

In another incident, two people have been caught by police in Maharashtra's Palghar district for trafficking illicit tobacco items worth more than Rs 2 lakh, according to an official statement issued on Friday, another report stated.

Reportedly, the suspects, Sunil Jagaram Godhara and Suresh Bhuraram Chowdhari were apprehended while patrolling the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route on Tuesday night. They were discovered to be travelling in a car filled with prohibited tobacco goods worth Rs 2.17 lakh.

Following their arrest, a case was filed against them at the Talsari police station under relevant parts of the Indian Penal Code, including "causing hurt by means of poison" and "adulteration of food or drink intended for sale," as well as provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, the report further stated.

Meanwhile, in another incident, Navi Mumbai police have filed a case against a suspended tehsildar from Maharashtra's Raigad district and her husband for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, as reported by an official on Friday.

According to another report, Meenal Krishna Dalvi (49), the suspended tehsildar, and her husband Krishna Vasant Dalvi (55) face action following an open enquiry initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) regarding a case filed in 2022 related to alleged corruption by the tehsildar.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shivraj Mhetre, representing ACB Navi Mumbai, stated that the couple has accumulated assets valued at Rs 2.2 crore, surpassing their known sources of income by approximately 84 per cent, the report added.

According to the report, consequently, an FIR has been lodged against the couple at the APMC police station in Navi Mumbai.