Food safety officer, associate arrested over Rs 5,500 bribe

A designated officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been caught along with an aide for taking a bribe of Rs 3,500.

Dr Harshavardhan, a designated officer of the FSSAI, and his aide Harish Honnappa, a private consultant, were caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday.

Dr Harshavardhan had allegedly demanded Rs 5,500 from a Devanahalli resident who had sought an FSSAI licence for opening a restaurant in Begur.

The government fee for the licence is Rs 2,000.

The licence-seeker refused to pay anything extra and complained to the ACB.

On Monday, ACB officials caught Honnappa taking the bribe from the complainant at the FSSAI office on Seshadri Road. They later arrested Dr Harshavardhan, too.

Both have been booked in a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

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