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Ex-Food Regulators Claim Corruption in Regulatory Body
by Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
June 6, 2015
New Delhi: Even as the controversy around the Maggi variants rages, forrmer directors of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have written to the government seeking a probe into product approvals that the apex regulator granted over the past two years.
The letter, addressed to Health Minister JP Nadda, levels serious allegations of malpractices at the commission, pinning much of the blame for lax food safety regulations on a former chairperson of the commission who recently retired.
Signed by former FSSAI directors SS Ghonkrokta, Asim Chaudhry and Pradeep Chakravarty, the six-page letter (The Tribune has a copy) raises allegations of bribery in return for product approvals and of the entry of MNC scientists into FSSAI in decision-making roles.
“Investigations must be started against corrupt practices and officials in FSSAI. There are many allegations of corruption in product approvals, licencing and imports. There have been instances of missing files of bribery allegations to issue licences or approve products. If these issues are not taken to a logical conclusion, corruption will continue,” the letter says.
The former directors have stressed upon Nadda the need to inquire into what they described as “back-door entry of scientists and technologists of MNCs in decision-making bodies.
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