Acting on a tip-off that tea was being adulterated, a police team raided a godown at Ramgad slum in Sewree around 11 am on May 14 and arrested the accused. (Representational image)The Mumbai police have arrested two men from a slum pocket in Sewree for allegedly adulterating tea with a scented chemical powder and supplying it to various retailers in the city. The police also seized 430 kg of adulterated tea worth Rs 85,000 from the duo who have no licence to sell or stock tea.
Acting on a tip-off that tea was being adulterated, a police team raided a godown at Ramgad slum in Sewree around 11 am on May 14 and arrested the accused, identified as Rahul Shaikh (26) and Raju Shaikh (29).
“They adulterated tea with a chemical to give it a scent and a taste. Such tea has no benefits to the consumer and is harmful to their health. We did the raid in the presence of a food safety officer,” said Manoj Saindre, senior inspector of Sewree police station. The police also seized an electronic weighing machine, traders cheque book, files and stamp pad from the accused.
A first information report (FIR) was registered on May 15 under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 272 (adulteration of food for sale) 273 (selling noxious food), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 26 (2) (1), 26 (2), 27 (1), 57, 59, 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act on the responsibility of food business operator, liability of the manufacturers, packers, wholesalers, distributors and sellers, penalty for possessing adulterant, unsafe food and carrying a business without a licence.
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