Edible oil traders on warpath over arrests

Edible oil traders, packers, wholesalers, semi-wholesalers and distributors have threatened to go on complete lockout if the arrested members of the industry are not released on bail at the earliest.

Their bail plea has been rejected twice on May 27 and 29.

Members of the Bombay Commodity Exchange today gathered to discuss the issue and to decide on the next course of action.

As many as 38 members were arrested on May 26 after the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials accompanied by the Crime Branch officials raided the premises of packers, wholesalers, semi-wholesalers and distributors to draw samples of edible oil.

All those arrested have been kept in remand till June 5.

The exchange members were concerned on the manner in which the raid was conducted. They allege that those indulging in fraud have been left out and the honest have been arrested.

IPC arrests have been made under sections 273, 274, 34 (bailable offences) and 420 (non-bailable offence).

However, the FDA officials denied assigning any reasons thereof for the arrest by saying, "We do not know why the Crime Branch has arrested them." They said the samples collected had been sent for testing. "The results would take at least 20 days," an official said.