One arrested with adulterated desi ghee

Health Department collects four samples; 100 tins of various oils confiscated by officials 

Health Department officials collect samples from Ashok Dairy in Bathinda on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma 

Bathinda, March 4

In a joint operation, the district police and health authorities arrested a person for selling adulterated desi ghee from Teliyan Wala Mohalla and confiscated 100 tins of various oils. 

Acting on a tip-off a team of SHO Kotwali Mahesh Kumar and District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa conducted a raid on Ashoka Dairy, located at Teilyan Wala Mohalla. The police arrested Mohit Kumar, son of the dairy’s owner, Ashok Kumar. He has been booked under Sections 420, 272 and 273 of the IPC. He would be produced before the court for the police remand tomorrow.

The team also came across a store of the dairy owner in the area at the backside of Ram Bagh on the Multania Road. The dingy store was situated in an abandoned-looking plot. The team found 75 tins of raag vanaspati ghee and 15 tins of palm oil. Each tin contained 15 kg of the edible oil.

Dr Randhawa said prima facie it seems that the dairy owner used to mix the two components-vanaspati and palm oil-in the desi ghee to increase its quantity.

“However, anything could be ascertained only after reports of the lab results are received,” added Dr Randhawa. The lab result is expected within two to three weeks. Food Inspectors Sanjay Katyal and Amrit Pal were also part of the team.

Sources said the owner of dairy also does not have licence or registration under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act, which is mandatory for all the food business operators.

The Health Department collected four samples, including two of desi ghee from the shop in Teliyan Wala Mohalla and one each of vanaspati ghee and palm oil. Near the shop was a small room meant for preparations, which was also check by the health department.

A visit to the store located at the backside of Ram Bagh on the Multania Road revealed that the store was located at a dirty place which is miles away from the hygiene and cleanliness that is mandatory to be maintained while storing or handling food products.

In a room lay tins lined up, while in another adjacent room were several packs of chyawanprash. Another larger room had several tyres dumped in it. The compound was overgrown with tall grass. 

Pleading anonymity the neighbors of the accused said that they had never seen the owner of store. “Mini trucks come here and are directly driven inside the plot. At times, the vehicles are offloaded during late night also,” said a neighbour.

The police officials said they were investigating into the modus operandi using which the adulterated preparations were made and sold.