Hyderabad: In a crackdown on food adulteration, the Commissioner’s Task Force of the Khairatabad Zone, along with Habeeb Nagar Police, apprehended a man involved in the manufacturing and sale of adulterated ginger and garlic paste under unhygienic conditions in Hyderabad.
The case was registered under Sections 318(4) and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Habeeb Nagar Police Station.
The accused has been identified as Mohammed Farooq (50), the owner of Shehzada Food Master.
He is a resident of Aghapura, Nampally, Hyderabad. Police said Farooq was operating a manufacturing unit near Gatala Masjid, Afzalsagar, Habeeb Nagar, Mallepally, within the limits of Habeeb Nagar Police Station.
Surprise checks reveal adulteration, lack of hygiene
Acting on credible information, the Task Force team conducted a surprise inspection at the premises. During the inspection, officials found that the accused was preparing ginger and garlic paste in plastic containers under highly unhygienic conditions.
The paste was allegedly being manufactured by mixing chemicals such as acetic acid, synthetic food colours, gum powder and salt.
Police said the prepared paste was stored in open plastic tubs exposed to dust, flies and other contaminants, making the product unsafe and unfit for human consumption. The accused was reportedly supplying the adulterated ginger-garlic paste to wholesale kirana stores, restaurants and food catering services across Hyderabad and was earning huge illegal profits.
During the inspection, officers also noticed that an FSSAI licence copy displayed at the premises had expired on September 7, 2018, indicating that the unit was operating without a valid licence.
1900 kgs of ginger garlic paste seized
The team seized a total of 1,090 kilograms of ginger-garlic paste in various packaging sizes and loose containers, along with 875 kilograms of unhygienic loose ginger and garlic.
They also seized starch powder, gum powder, synthetic food colour, salt bags, acetic acid, grinding machinery and the accused’s mobile phone. The total value of the seized items is estimated to be around Rs 2.2 lakh.
Police said the accused had been engaged in the illegal manufacture and sale of adulterated ginger-garlic paste and was supplying large quantities to restaurants, wholesale shops and retail stores in and around Hyderabad.
Accused arrested
The apprehended accused, along with the seized material, was handed over to the Station House Officer of Habeeb Nagar Police Station for further investigation and necessary legal action.
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