Latest News | Food Safety Department Officers Among 3 Arrested in Bribery Case in HP

Shimla, Feb 7 (PTI) The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) has arrested three people including an assistant commissioner and a food safety officer for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a hotelier in Himachal Pradesh's Manali to settle a notice, officials said on Friday.

The accused have been identified as Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, Kullu, Bhavita Tandon, Food Safety Officer Pankaj, and peon Keshav Ram, they said.

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According to the vigilance bureau, a notice was issued to the complainant for keeping unsafe cooking oil and misbranded papads under the Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011, on November 28, 2024.

Tandon allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh to dispose of the notice, following which the complainant, Padam Chand, from Manali, approached the vigilance department, officials said.

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The team laid a trap and the complainant handed over Rs 1.10 lakh to the peon as per the officer's direction, following which the accused was arrested and the bribe amount was recovered, they added.

A case has been registered under Section 7 (offence relating to public servant being bribed) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and further investigation is underway, they said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)