Mumbai: A 40-year-old businessman has filed a complaint with the Pantnagar Police Station, alleging that he was defrauded of over ₹7 crore in a well-planned conspiracy involving a laboratory based in Borivali and its proprietor.
The complainant, Namit Shah, stated that he and his wife had been residing in New Zealand since 2014. Between 2021 and 2024, Shah worked with a reputed company named Image Holding Company, which manufactures feed and vitamin supplements for poultry and pig farming. Upon returning to India, Shah decided to supply raw materials from India to the New Zealand-based company and entered into a trade agreement for the same.
To ensure the quality of the products, Shah engaged SDA Lab, located in Borivali and run by Sagar Anandpara, for testing and certification. Initially, everything appeared to be in order. However, Shah later received complaints from his New Zealand associates that the raw materials being sent from India lacked essential vitamins and nutrients, causing dissatisfaction among distributors and retailers there.
Alarmed by the feedback, Shah arranged for an independent audit in New Zealand. The findings revealed that the materials exported from Mumbai were substandard and failed to meet the necessary quality benchmarks.
Shah then grew suspicious that the laboratory had deliberately issued false quality certifications. He alleged that Sagar Anandpara and his associates knowingly issued misleading test reports and certifications, resulting in severe financial losses and damage to his credibility abroad. According to Shah, the fraud led to losses amounting to approximately ₹7 crore.
Based on his complaint, the Pantnagar Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and have initiated an investigation. Officials confirmed that the involvement of other individuals is also being examined, and some suspects may soon be summoned for questioning.
