Cuttack: Commissionerate Police on Sunday busted a unit which allegedly manufactured adulterated ghee by blending certain oils, soluble powder and various chemicals at Sriram Bazaar are in Bayalis Mauja in Cuttack.
The adulterated ghee-making unit was busted following a raid conducted by a joint team of police and health officials after getting specific intelligence input.
Logos of several ghee-manufacturing companies, raw materials and other equipment have been seized from the unit.
Senior officials informed that one person has been detained and he is being questioned in connection with the incident.
As per reports, the adulterated ghee was being sold to customers in packets and plastic jars having labels of different brands.
“It is a big unit and several products of various brands were being manufactured here. We have collected samples for examination,” said Rakesh Sahu, Food Safety Officer, Cuttack district.
Inspector-in-charge of Sadar Police, Sudhanshu said, “The unit was operating since 2002. We have seized some seeds from the unit which was being used in the manufacturing of the ghee. We are verifying the documents and other licenses of the unit.”
The police official further informed that the unit was procuring palm oil which was used to prepare adultered ghee which is not fit for human consumption. Moreover, the ghee packets did not had manufacturing or expiry date on it, he added.
The raid comes barely a day after the Commissionerate Police busted a fake ghee and spices manufacturing units at two different places in the city.
Huge quantity of adulterated ghee worth lakhs of rupees, raw materials used in manufacturing of the product and machinery were seized from a factory operating at Nuabazaar area in the city.
The illegal unit was busted during a joint raid by Zone 1 ACP, Amarendra Panda and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) health officer Satyabrata Mohapatra.
The ghee was made at the factory using palm oil and other ingredients to give it a customary flavour, police said.
Earlier in the day, the Chauliaganj police carried out crackdown on a factory allegedly manufacturing adulterated spices like turmeric and chilli powder.
“The Inspector-in-charge of Chauliaganj had information that an adulterating turmeric and chilli powder processing unit was operating at Bhadimula village. Subsequently a raid was conducted on the unit today,” Zone 1 ACP, Amarendra Panda had said.