CUTTACK: Jagatpur police on Sunday busted a fake lubricant (engine oil) manufacturing unit at Bhairpur on the outskirts of Jagatpur Industrial Estate here and nabbed one person in this connection. Police also seized 23,000 litres of adulterated engine oil, huge quantity of colour, essence and chemicals, plastic containers and jars of different sizes having labels of several branded lubricant companies and instrument like motor, pipe and filters from three godowns of the unit.
The accused has been identified as Babaji Sahu, proprietor of the fake lubricant manufacturing unit. Police have detained him for interrogation. DCP Akhilesvar Singh said acting on a tip-off about running of the fake automobile lubricant manufacturing unit, ACP Trinath Mishra and IIC of Jagatpur police station Biranchi Narayan Pati raided the area and apprehended Sahu.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that the unit used to procure expired automobile lubricants and produce duplicate engine oils of different top branded companies like Castrol, Gulf, Servo, Veedol, Elf and Hero by refining the same with the help of colour, essence and chemicals, he said.
“While the cost towards manufacturing one litre of duplicate engine oil is within Rs 40, the adulterator used to sell it in the market for Rs 300 per litre after labelling them under prestigious brands,” said the DCP.
The accused was using the duplicate containers similar to that of different branded companies, sealing and packing the same in such a manner that it becomes hard for the consumers to differentiate between the adulterated and real ones, he added.