Fake ghee unit busted in Cuttack
CUTTACK: In a major crackdown on food adulteration units, Commissionerate Police busted a fake ghee manufacturing unit at Professorpada Sagadiasahi under Mangalabag police limits on Wednesday.
Acting on a tip off, a special team of police led by IIC of Mangalabag police station Arun Kumar Swain raided a house and unearthed the fake factory which was functioning on the first floor of the double storey building. Informing about the seizures, DCP Akhilesvar Singh said nearly 350 kg of adulterated ghee, vegetable oil and essence items used to prepare the fake product were seized. Police also recovered a large number of logos of different companies including OMFED, Durga, Devi etc besides different sizes of empty pouches, plastic containers and packaging items.
The house owner Subas Chandra Behera (32) has been detained and interrogated at Mangalabag police station, the DCP added.Preliminary investigation revealed that the adulterated ghee was being prepared using Palm oil, refined mobil (engine oil) and some chemicals and essence items. The unit was operating in a clandestine manner and the manufacturer was releasing the ghee under the brand names hoodwinking the consumers of the city as well as outside.
“While the cost of manufacturing one kg fake ghee comes to around `100, it is sold at `500 to `600 per kg after labelling under prestigious brands,” the DCP said adding investigation is on to ascertain the details on the fake unit.Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused was also planning to manufacture and sell fake Shalimar coconut oil for which he had also procured huge number of empty plastic bottles of Shalimar Coconut Oil which have also been seized during the raid.