With persistent allegations doing the rounds that the district health department had not been conducting raids at the bigger and more famous names in the sweets business, but had been targeting smaller shops, finally a team from the department, accompanied by sleuths from the vigilance bureau collected samples for testing from Jaggi Sweets, Kohli Sweets and Gopal Sweets.
This collection of samples was unique due to the presence of the vigilance, as health department officials were not being allowed to do so, due to the alleged interference from political or bureaucratic circles.
This had led to a section of the small traders to claim that health department officials were corrupt.
Incidentally, the vigilance bureau is probing a complaint of corruption against district health officer Rajpal Singh on the directions of Patiala divisional commissioner AS Pannu.
“We have conducted raids along with health department, as we got complaints that department officials are not taking sample from prominent shops. We provided the requisite legal and the back-up needed to conduct samples,” said Pritam Singh, SSP vigilance bureau (Patiala Range).
A team lead by DSP Swaranjit Kaur assisted health officials gain entry into the shops of Kohli Sweets at Tripuri Area, Jaggi Sweets at 22 no. crossing and Gopal Sweets at Fountain Chowk.
“The team of health officials has collected nearly 10 samples and they will share report of adulteration with us. Following the laboratory report, further action would be initiated”, said the DSP. Pertinently, Jaggi Sweets had recently been raided by income tax officials, where Rs 2 crore was seized as unaccounted money.
{{/usCountry}}“The team of health officials has collected nearly 10 samples and they will share report of adulteration with us. Following the laboratory report, further action would be initiated”, said the DSP. Pertinently, Jaggi Sweets had recently been raided by income tax officials, where Rs 2 crore was seized as unaccounted money.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, MC officials have repeated their warning to these three shop owners to remove encroachments or face strict action.