Delhi Police busts three units making 1,625 kg of fake desi ghee, six held

Duplicate ghee packed in counterfeit tins was being sold to dairies at steep profits; repeat offenders among accused, police trace wider supply chain.

A crime branch team of Delhi Police busted three illegal units manufacturing adulterated desi ghee in northeast Delhi, seizing 1,625 kg of the spurious product and arresting six people allegedly running the racket, officials said on Thursday.

Police say accused mixed vanaspati, cheap oils and chemicals, selling tins at inflated rates under false claims of village-made purity. (@CrimeBranchDP/X)

Deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Vikram Singh said the raids were carried out in Shiv Vihar, Karawal Nagar and Mustafabad following intelligence inputs about adulteration of ghee, during the last week.

“Investigators found that the units were mixing vanaspati ghee, cheap refined oil and chemical flavouring agents to mimic pure ghee before packing it in tins resembling genuine brands for sale to dairies and local shops,” Singh said, adding that the seizure has averted a major public health risk.

According to police, the first raid in Karawal Nagar led to the arrest of Safiq (30) and the recovery of 520 kg of adulterated ghee along with chemicals. The second raid at Phase-7 Shiv Vihar resulted in the arrest of Yusuf Malik, 50; his son Mehboob, 22; and two associates from Ghaziabad, Shakir and Sharukh, with 440 kg of duplicate ghee, gas cylinders, stoves and equipment seized. In the third raid, Zamaluddin (40) of Old Mustafabad was caught with 665 kg of adulterated ghee.

In total, 105 iron tins containing 1,625 kg of duplicate ghee, along with manufacturing tools and chemical substances, were recovered.

Police said the accused, all unemployed and some repeat offenders, were running both small- and large-scale units. While Yusuf Malik had previously been arrested in a similar case, Shakir and Sharukh allegedly acted as distributors, selling the ghee to dairies at higher margins.

“They used to say that the ghee was purely made in their village. Using this propaganda, they had created a strong retail base,” an officer said, requesting anonymity.

Investigators found the accused manufactured each tin of duplicate ghee at a cost of ₹1,300–1,400 and sold it in the market for ₹3,500–4,000. The ghee was made by heating vanaspati (thick vegetable oil) and refined oil, mixing it with chemical flavouring agents, and packing it into counterfeit tins. “The crude and unsafe process posed a serious threat to unsuspecting consumers,” a senior officer said.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act. Police said further investigation is underway to identify the wider supply chain and other players involved.