Gujarat: Three held in Jamnagar for preparing artificial milk

The raid comes at a time when dairies in Gujarat are flooded with milk due to what cooperative dairy union leaders say a 'cyclical flush', a period in which animals produce more milk.

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Police said that food inspectors were with the LCB team when the raid was conducted. Representative Image

The local crime branch of Jamnagar police conducted raids in two villages of Kalavad taluka in the wee hours Wednesday and arrested three men for allegedly preparing a mixture of vegetable oil and other substances, and then selling the compound as milk.

Following a tip off, a team of LCB raided residence of one Jaysukh Tala in Chhatar village of Kalavad taluka of Jamnagar district and allegedly caught him red-handed while he was preparing the mixture. The police seized 360 litres of inedible milk, nine empty cans of milk, 185 kgs of powder (which was being using to prepare artificial milk), 15 tins of soya oil, six empty tins of soya oil, a mixture and some utensils.

Police said that food inspectors were with the LCB team when the raid was conducted. Minutes later, the team also conducted raid on Ramkrupa Dairy in nearby Jashapar village of Kalavad taluka and seized 500 litres of inedible milk and a vehicle which the accused were using for transporting the artificial milk. Police arrested Ramesh Faldu, the owner of Ramkrupa Dairy. It also arrested two other persons identified as Babu Bharwad and Tala in the wee hours Wednesday, and seized valuables worth around rupees six lakh.

“Tala used to prepare the milk-like compound at his home and supply it to Faldu. The dairy-owner in turn used to send the milk to Rajkot with the help of Bharwad for being retailed under the brand name of a private dairy,” an LCB source said.

The raid comes at a time when dairies in Gujarat are flooded with milk due to what cooperative dairy union leaders say a ‘cyclical flush’, a period in which animals produce more milk.

The Jamnagar LCB has booked the trio under IPC Sections 406 (breach of trust), 272 (adulteration of drink), 273 (sale of noxious drink), 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) and under The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

LCB officers said that food inspectors have drawn samples of milk-like compound, powder, soya oils, etc., and sent them for laboratory tests.

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