Spices made out of donkey dung were discovered by the UP Police at a factory in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. The police on Monday night had conducted a raid on the factory involved in manufacturing adulterated spices of local brands using some very unusual ingredients such as donkey dung, acid and hay (also known as bhusa). The police also seized over 300 kg of counterfeit spices from the factory.
The owner of the spices manufacturing factory has been identified as one Anoop Varshney and been arrested by the UP police. Varshney also has some political connections. He is the 'Madal Sah Prabhari' of Hindu Yuva Vahini, according to The Times of Inda. This organisation was founded by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in 2002.
The factory is located in Navipur area of Hathas. The UP police raided the factory after receiving a tip-off about the manufacturing of fake spices in the factory. During the raid, the police found spices, including - red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and turmeric - these spices were being adulterated with donkey dung, acids, inedible colours and hay, as per the daily.
The police have sent 27 samples of the adulterated spices to a laboratory for testing. The police are expected to register an FIR under Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 once the lab report arrives, Joint Magistrate Prem Prakash Meena told The Times of India.
Meanwhile, the factory owner has been sent into judicial custody under CrPC Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences). Meena told the daily that Varshney was not able to provide a license for running the spice factory. "He also could not produce the licence of the brands, which were being packed," he added.