PUNE: Soon after Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directed his family’s shop to halt operations over alleged food safety violations, Praveen Goyal, father of Siya Goyal — one of the prime accused in Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal’s murder — said he would fully cooperate with the investigation and that his daughter should face the strictest punishment if found guilty.Speaking to ANI, Goyal said Food Department officials had visited his shop on July 14 and collected four samples.“On the morning of the 14th, at around 11. 30am, Food Department officials visited my shop and collected four samples,” he said.Referring to the action against the shop, Goyal said the issue was related to the shop’s licence, for which he had already applied.“The other issue is related to my shop’s licence that I have now applied for, expected to come within 8-10 days. Until then, I have been asked to keep the shop closed, and I am complying. The shop has not been sealed,” he said.Commenting on the case against his daughter, he said, “Regarding my daughter, if she is found guilty, she should be given the strictest punishment. I stand with the judiciary and the law, and I will fully cooperate with the investigation.”At the same time, Goyal alleged that his family was being repeatedly targeted.“But people are repeatedly targeting my family, and it feels as though I am being punished instead. My family is suffering because of this. I have been under stress for a long time,” he said.The FDA issued a notice to M/s BG Goyal & Company, a spice and dry fruits shop operated by Siya Goyal’s family in Pune’s Market Yard, directing it to stop business operations until further orders over alleged violations of food safety norms.According to the FDA, officials collected four samples, including turmeric powder of the ‘Sant’ and ‘Sadhu’ brands, sesame seeds and soybean chunks.The authority said 4,172 kg of food products worth Rs 8.14 lakh were seized over suspected labelling violations and possible adulteration. It also alleged that the establishment had failed to make the required corrections to its licence details.The FDA has not stated that the action was linked to the ongoing murder investigation.Siya Goyal and her boyfriend, Chetan Chaudhary, are accused of pushing her fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune during a trek on June 18, leading to his death. Both are currently in judicial custody.
