Department of Revenue Investigation to dispose of 72 tons of substandard sugar seized last year

KATHMANDU : The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) has decided to destroy substandard sugar seized last year. The seizure of the commodity dragged even some high officials of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) into a controversy last year.

The Revenue Investigation Office (RIO) of Pathlaiya, Bara, seized 72 tons of sugar on the charge of evading tax. The agro product imported by Anushka Multipurpose Company Pvt Ltd from India in February 2020 was proven to be of low quality when it was tested by the Food Import-Export Quality Certification Office, Jaleshwar.

Following the incident, the RIO sent a sample of the imported sugar to the DFTQC for further testing. However, the DFTQC approved the sugar fit for consumption. Later, a probe committee formed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development found the DFTQC Chief Matina Joshi Vaidya guilty of preparing a false report for receiving undue benefits.

According to a DRI official, after the probe committee finalized the report, the department is preparing to destroy the substandard sugar on Monday.