Couple from Mysuru held in fake Nandini ghee racket
Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested a couple from Mysuru in connection with a major racket involving the sale of adulterated ghee under the Nandini brand. The couple, identified as Shivakumar and his wife Ramya, were allegedly running a high-tech illegal manufacturing unit in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu.
The arrest follows an earlier operation where the CCB nabbed four individuals, including a distributor of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) products. According to a report published by The New Indian Express on Thursday, the CCB has frozen Rs 60 lakh in the couple’s bank accounts, suspecting that it could be proceeds from the alleged crime.
Investigations revealed that Shivakumar and Ramya were linked to a larger network involved in producing and selling fake Nandini ghee. They had been manufacturing adulterated ghee and distributing it under the Nandini brand.
In a joint operation between the CCB and KMF’s vigilance wing, the authorities arrested Mahendra, a distributor of KMF products, his son Deepak, and Muniraju, who oversaw the transportation of adulterated ghee from Tamil Nadu. Abhi Arasu, the driver involved in the operation, was also arrested on November 14.
A substantial quantity of goods, including 8,136 litres of adulterated ghee, valued at Rs 1.26 crore, four vehicles, and a large amount of coconut and palm oil were seized. The adulterated ghee was produced by mixing one litre of original ghee with three litres of fake ghee, added the report.
The fake ghee was packaged in sachets and plastic bottles bearing the Nandini logo and supplied to Bengaluru-based KMF distributors. The accused also distributed the adulterated product to wholesale and retail shops, including Nandini outlets across the city.
The joint team raided godowns and shops and seized goods vehicles of Krishna Enterprises at Nanjamba Agrahara, Chamarajpet, owned by one of the accused and his family members.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
