Man held with adulterated spices in Jorabagan
Kolkata: The Enforcement Branch (EB) of Kolkata Police has nabbed a person identified as Pankaj Kumar Shaw and seized huge quantity of adulterated spice products from a warehouse in Jorabagan on Tuesday morning.
According to sources, since the past few days, EB sleuths were receiving information about adulterated spices being supplied in several shops in the city.
As maximum numbers of complaints were coming from North Kolkata, sleuths asked their sources to find the where these spices were being manufactured.
On Monday morning, sleuths were informed by their sources that a warehouse located at Kashi Dutta Street in Jorabagan is suspected to be
the place where adulterated spices were being produced. Immediately sleuths went to the location and started keeping a watch in the area.
EB sleuths raided the place after being convinced that the warehouse is connected to production of adulterated spices.
After entering the premises police personnel found several machines which are being used to mix spices.
During the search, sleuths found adulterated spices in huge quantity. Several workers were seen mixing the spices. During the raid, police found 120 kg Coriander powder (dhania), 60 kg Cumin powder (jeera), 350 kg broken rice seeds, 90 kg tush, 550 kg turmeric powder, 5 kg red coloured chemical, 7 kg yellow coloured chemical and other apparatus. The value of seized articles is approximately
Rs 1 lakh. Sources informed that the adulterated spices were being supplied to small grocery shops across the city.
During the raid no packaging equipment and packets could not be find, but sleuths are trying to find out whether the accused persons were using packets of well-known spice companies.
These adulterated spices were priced nominally and were supplied to small grocery stores.
According to police sources, Pankaj's father Raj Narayan is the owner of the warehouse. But he could not be traced. Sleuths are searching for him. Pankaj will be produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at Bankshall Court on Wednesday along with an appeal for police remand.
