Four held for supplying adulterated ghee in fake Nandini packs across Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 15 (PTI) With the arrest of four people, a large network involved in producing adulterated ghee and selling them in fake 'Nandhini' packs is busted, Bengaluru Police on Saturday said.

The group produced adulterated ghee in Tamil Nadu and filled it into fake Nandini brand sachets and plastic bottles, and sold them across Bengaluru, they added.

"Four accused have been arrested in this case so far. Authorities have seized 8,136 litres of adulterated ghee, coconut and palm oil, Rs 1.19 lakh in cash, four goods vehicles used for transportation, machinery used for manufacturing the adulterated ghee, and other related items. The total value of the seized property is approximately Rs 1.27 crore," a statement issued by the office of Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said.

"Understanding the high demand for Nandini ghee in Karnataka, the accused had been preparing adulterated ghee in Tamil Nadu, filling it into counterfeit Nandini sachets and plastic bottles, and supplying it to Bengaluru-based accused who held official KMF licenses," it added.

These accused were then distributing the adulterated ghee to various wholesale and retail shops and Nandini parlours across the city, passing it off as original Nandini ghee at the actual market price, it said.

"Based on intelligence gathered secretly by the CCB (Central Crime Branch) Special Investigation Squad and KMF (Karnataka Milk Federation) Vigilance Wing officers, the operation was tracked," it said.

According to police, On Friday, a joint team of the CCB Special Investigation Squad and the KMF Vigilance Wing conducted a raid on the godowns, shops, and goods vehicles belonging to Krishna Enterprises in Nanjamba Agrahara, Chamarajpet, owned by the main accused and their family members.

During the raids, a vehicle transporting adulterated ghee was seized and the driver arrested, they said.

A case has been registered at the CCB Special Investigation Division, police said, adding that further investigation is underway. PTI AMP ADB