Authorities in Hyderabad seized over 3,800 kilograms of adulterated and unhygienic dairy products during a food safety inspection conducted on March 19, 2026. Six individuals were arrested in connection with the case.
The operation was carried out by the Commissioner’s Task Force along with Food Safety Officers from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). The inspection targeted six dairy units located in Ganj Bazar near the Mahankali temple in Secunderabad.
With the onset of the festive season, as people celebrated Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, and Ramadan, Hyderabad police had intensified their crackdown on adulterated and unhygienic food across the city, uncovering serious lapses in multiple units.
Officials confiscated approximately 3,892 kg of dairy products, including paneer, about 927 kg of khoa, around 249 kg of white cream, along with ghee and sweets such as kalakand, the Economic Times reported. The total estimated value of the seized items is around ₹11 lakh.
According to Times Now, large quantities of adulterated paneer were seized from particular shops associated with Balaji Vijaya Milk. Officials suspect that the paneer was manufactured using substandard ingredients in violation of food safety regulations. A case has been registered, and the investigation is ongoing.
According to officials, the accused sourced dairy products from unidentified suppliers and sold them in bulk at approximately ₹280 per kilogram. These products were supplied to hotels, catering services, and other buyers in the city.
As reported by NDTV, the Task Force DCP, Vaibhav Gaikwad, said,
The accused were selling low-quality and adulterated paneer as a genuine product to earn easy money.Vaibhav Gaikwad, Task Force DCP
During the inspection, authorities found that the dairy products were stored in open plastic coverings and exposed to dust, flies, and other contaminants.
Officials reported that the premises did not maintain basic hygiene standards. No pest control records or proper sanitation practices were found.
The recent raid follows closely on the heels of an earlier operation in which authorities discovered an illegal dairy unit in Banjara Hills involved in the production of adulterated ghee and cream. Authorities seized around 3,000 kg of adulterated ghee there, indicating continued enforcement action against food adulteration in the city.
In a separate case, Kulsumpura police uncovered an illegal pickle manufacturing unit in Jiyaguda. Two individuals were arrested for preparing pickles under highly unhygienic conditions using spoiled vegetables and substandard ingredients.
Authorities seized 72 drums containing various types of pickles, along with tomato and tamarind paste, ginger-garlic paste, and related equipment from the premises.
The NDTV also reported, the raids conducted by Task Force teams in Tappachabutra and Borabanda areas, where they seized over 1,100 kg of products along with several thousand kilograms of raw materials used for preparing ginger-garlic paste.
During the inspections, officials found that chemicals such as citric acid and acetic acid were being added, and the products were stored in open containers in unhygienic conditions. These items were being distributed in bulk to hotels and catering services across Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad City Police shared details of both cases on X.
The six arrested individuals have been identified as Jaipal Singh Rajpurohit, Kolariya Vaibhav, Naresh Kolariya, Prem Anil Vyas, Ram Kishore Kolariya, and Laxmi Narayana Kolariya.
They have been handed over to the Mahankali police station for further legal proceedings. Authorities stated that further investigation is ongoing to identify the source of the products and trace the distribution network.
(Rh/SS/MSM)