BENGALURU: A large network producing adulterated ghee in Tamil Nadu, filling it into fake Nandini-branded sachets and plastic bottles and selling it across Bengaluru has been busted in a joint operation conducted by Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths and KMF Vigilance Wing.
Four accused, including a KMF distributor, his son and two others, have been arrested. Whopping 8,136 litre of adulterated ghee worth Rs 1.26 crore, four vehicles used to supply the item, machinery to prepare the ghee and large quantities of coconut and palm oil that were used to adulterate the ghee were seized. The accused were producing three litres of adulterated ghee from one litre of original ghee.
The ghee was supplied to a dealer in Bengaluru who held official KMF licences. He and his family then distributed the adulterated ghee to various wholesale and retail shops and Nandini parlours across the city, selling it at the actual market price.
KMF Managing Director B Shivaswamy said one of the accused is a KMF dealer.
Coconut, palm oil used for adulteration
The operation was tracked down by CCB Special Investigation Squad and KMF Vigilance Wing officers, who gathered specific intelligence and conducted raids.
The arrested persons are identified as Mahendra, a KMF distributor, his son Deepak, Muniraju, who was transporting adulterated ghee from Tamil Nadu, and Abhi Arasu, the driver. The joint team raided godowns, shops and goods vehicles belonging to Krishna Enterprises in Nanjamba Agrahara, Chamarajpet, owned by one of the accused and his family members.
During the raid, a vehicle transporting adulterated ghee from Tamil Nadu was seized along with the driver Arasu.
Five mobile phones, four goods vehicles worth Rs 60 lakh, Rs 1.19 lakh in cash, fake Nandini branded sachets and bottles filled with 8,136 litre of adulterated ghee, cans filled with coconut and palm oil used for adulteration were recovered.
“We received specific information from the KMF vigilance wing. The unit where the adulterated ghee was being produced was located in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu. Information about the main accused is being gathered. The accused were active for the last two years,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.