Mumbai: The officials of crime branch unit 10 arrested two men from Andheri (W) on Tuesday, who were involved in packaging and distribution of adulterated milk. Police seized various equipment along with 294 litres of adulterated milk of leading brands. Both accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Food and Safety Standards Act.
According to police, the sleuths of unit 10 had received a tip-off that a milk adulteration racket was underway at Andheri (W), acting on which police laid traps and activated their network of informers. Police learnt that the offence was committed in the Four Bungalows area and raided the premises early morning on Tuesday.
A team led by police inspector Kiran Londhe conducted a raid at 5.30am, wherein the accused were nabbed while they were engaged in packaging the adulterated milk. Police also seized 36 packets of milk of two reputed brands, along with wax candles, test tubes, lighter, stove pin, blade. They also seized 294 litres of adulterated milk, which led to the arrest of the accused men-- Narsimha Bhanuchandra Kotapeli, 46 and Mahesh Yallesh Mandra, 37.
Explaining on the modus operandi, police said the arrested duo would buy original pouches of milk and mix tap water into it, which was dirty and non-potable. The mixture would be then packed into fresh packets, with original tag and print of reputed brands and then distributed. The adulterated milk packets would contain 80 percent water, which was unhealthy. Police are now trying to ascertain how the accused procured counterfeit milk pouches and investigation is underway.
Kotapeli and Mandra were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for adulteration of food and drink for sale (section 272), using false property mark (section 482), counterfeiting property mark used by other (section 483), cheating (section 420), forgery (section 468) and common intention (section 34) along with the Food and Safety Standards Act. They were produced before a local magistrate court and remanded in police custody.
