About 900 kg of suspect khawa seized by Akola police goes missing, returned without testing

The overnight disappearance of suspect khawa seized by police in Akola has caused a stir. The khawa, brought from Ahmedabad on a private bus to the luxury bus stand in Akola, is said to weigh between about 900 kg and a tonne. City Kotwali police seized it on Sunday.

The matter began when traffic police found a large quantity of khawa on a private luxury bus from Ahmedabad at the Akola luxury stand. Finding it suspicious, they immediately informed City Kotwali police. Police reached the spot and checked it, and their suspicion strengthened. The khawa was then kept at Kotwali police station.

Some time later, officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were informed. They examined the khawa at the police station and told police that it was suspect and that samples had to be taken for testing. However, it was a holiday and Assistant Commissioner D. G. Veer was not in Akola, so they said further action could not be taken. FDA officials clarified that police had not formally handed the khawa over to them.

The officials left the khawa at the police station and returned. The next day, however, City Kotwali police gave the FDA office a letter. It said the original owner of the seized khawa had been traced and the khawa had been returned to the owner with conditions.

The letter gives no name, address or phone number for the owner. This has created confusion over to whom, and on what basis, the khawa was returned. As the khawa was returned without samples being taken for testing, the police action is being questioned. People are asking how it was returned before it was tested.

Assistant Commissioner D. G. Veer of the Food and Drug Administration, Akola, said City Kotwali police had informed them about the seized khawa but had not handed it over. He said the letter given by Kotwali police on Monday states that the khawa was returned to the original owner, once traced, on conditions, but that it contains no name, address or other details of the owner. He said his office has no information about where the khawa is today.