Tamil Nadu food safety official E Shivakumar held by CBI in gutkha scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department official E Shivakumar in connection with the alleged gutkha scam in Tamil Nadu. The arrested official, Shivakumar, was produced before a CBI court, which remanded him in judicial custody until October 4.

Shivakumar, who moved Supreme Court challenging the CBI probe in the gutkha scam, was the sixth person to be arrested in connection with the case, which involves state health minister Dr Vijayabhaskar and DGP TK Rajendran.

The CBI had on September 6 arrested five people a day after conducting raids in several premises, including the residences of Dr Vijayabhaskar and Rajendran. Those arrested were AV Madhav Rao, Srinivasa Rao and Uma Shankar Gupta -- promoters of Jayam Industries that manufactures MDM brand gutkha -- State Food Safety Department official Senthil Murugan and Superintendent of Central Excise NK Pandian, who were in judicial custody.

After the Madras High Court ordered the CBI probe in April this year, the premier investigating agency registered an FIR on May 30 against unknown officials of the central excise department, officials of Tamil Nadu government, food safety department, public servants and private persons under Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.