Four held for counterfeiting branded groceries

Among the counterfeit products seized were 1,130 litres of ghee, 3,000kg of TATA salt, 8,000 ENO sachets, 1,200 packs of All Out mosquito repellent, and 1,100 Veet packs

New Delhi

Police said the shops bought the items because they were sold in bulk and at lower prices. (Representative photo)

The Delhi Police on Wednesday said they arrested four persons involved in the manufacture, storage and sale of counterfeit branded household products across Delhi-NCR. Among the counterfeit products seized were 1,130 litres of ghee, 3,000kg of TATA salt, 8,000 ENO sachets, 1,200 packs of All Out mosquito repellent, and 1,100 Veet packs, among others, at three factories in different parts of Delhi.

Police said the accused had been selling these products, reportedly made from “extremely cheap and harmful chemicals”, to shops across Delhi-NCR for months. The shops bought the items because they were sold in bulk and at lower prices.

Officers said they were tipped off by an informer on Monday night about a consignment delivery, and a Crime Branch team busted them in Uttam Nagar in the afternoon.

A senior officer said, “Around 2.15pm, the accused were caught near a mill with the tempo that had the goods. Search of the vehicle resulted in recovery of a huge quantity of counterfeit goods... Samples were drawn and the remaining property was sealed and seized. Authorised company representatives identified the goods as counterfeit.”

Police said they arrested a man named Nitin Kumar, 38, who led them to another manufacturing unit in the Kanjhawala industrial area, where they seized ghee, packaging machines, and fake wrappers. “No valid documents were produced, revealing a criminal conspiracy endangering public health and infringing intellectual property rights,” the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Vikram Singh said Kumar was held with his associates, Surender Gujjar, 45, Rajat Singhal, 38 and Md Mujahid, 38. Kumar, Gujjar and Singhal are residents of Uttam Nagar, while Mujahid lives in Mangolpuri

In the course of the investigation, the Crime Branch found the gang ran another unit in Nihal Vihar where a warehouse was used for illegal storage and repackaging of salt.