GHMC, SFL officials arrested by ACB

Hyderabad, July 18: The ACB sleuths arrested Five persons, including officials of the GHMC and the State Food Laboratory (SFL) on Saturday for allegedly approved fake food test certificates of Haveli Bar and Restaurant.

Haveli's biriyani was recently tested by food safety department of Hyderabad and was found unfit for consumption.

The arrested have been identified as GHMC assistant food controller K Balaji Raju, SFL chief public analyst N Ravindra, owner of Haveli Bar and Restaurant KV Narsinga Rao, an accountant at the bar, K Srinivas and record assistant with GHMC A Jagan.

The arrested were sent to judicial custody for remand "for issuing false food testing certificates and endangering the lives of citizens".

Cell phones and a bribe amount of Rs 1.25 lakh was also seized.

In a press release from the ACB DG said that on receiving credible information that money was exchanging hands between the GHMC food control officials and SFL's officials for manipulation of adulterated food analysis reports, a surprise check was conducted on the lab premises, on July 15.