Last Updated:
Siya Goyal’s father said that FDA actions were a form of harassment following his daughter’s high-profile case; FDA says it is unrelated
(Clockwise from top left) Siya Goyal, Tukaram Mundhe, Pravin Goyal. (File)
Tukaram Mundhe-led Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a notice ordering the closure of M/s BG Goyal & Company, a spice and dry fruits shop owned by Pravin Goyal, the father of Pune fort murder accused Siya Goyal.
The shop, located in Pune’s Market Yard area, was found to be operating without a valid license. The FDA also reported the presence of substandard, poorly labeled, and suspected adulterated goods, said reports.
Authorities seized 4,172 kg of food products valued at approximately ₹8.14 lakh.
Four samples — including ‘Sant’ and ‘Sadhu’ brand turmeric powder, sesame seeds, and soybean chunks — were taken for laboratory testing. The establishment has been ordered to completely suspend business operations until further notice, pending final lab results.
According to FDA Joint Commissioner Digambar Bhogawade, the most critical administrative violation discovered during the raid was location mismatch. While the establishment held a valid food license for one specific location, they were caught operating their primary commercial business and storeroom illegally out of a completely different, unregistered address.
Father’s defence
Pravin Goyal maintained that the actions were a form of harassment following his daughter’s high-profile case. He stated that the products in his shop belonged to reputed, standard brands and that he has valid purchase bills to prove compliance, according to reports.
Officials have explicitly stated that this FDA crackdown is a separate regulatory matter concerning food safety violations and is entirely independent of the ongoing criminal trial.
Siya Goyal, alongside her boyfriend Chetan Chaudhary, remains in judicial custody for the alleged pre-planned murder of her fiancé, Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal, by pushing him off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in June.
What next?
If the laboratory analysis officially confirms food adulteration or severe safety hazards, Pravin Goyal could face standard legal actions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, which carries potential penalties ranging from a ₹5 lakh fine up to life imprisonment depending on the severity of the toxicity.
The FDA, under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, has launched this enforcement as part of a much wider, statewide “Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra” campaign. In the Pune division alone, the campaign recently resulted in the suspension of 12 food licenses and the seizure of over ₹41 lakh worth of banned products.
Meanwhile, Siya Goyal and her co-accusedChetan Chaudhary, remain in judicial custody at Yerawada Central Jail while police finalize the murder chargesheet.
About the Author
At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci…Read More
August 11, 2026, 7:49 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]