You Might Be Eating Fake Jeera: Police Discover 20,000 Kg Fake Jeera From A Factory In Delhi

Wed Nov 20 17:15:05 IST 2019

News of food items, especially fruits and vegetables, being injected with chemicals and sold in the market, has become more common than we'd like it to be. However, have you ever thought that even spices or other basic food items in your kitchen could be fake? This incident will make you question everything that goes in your food.

Delhi Police recently busted a gang in Bawana area, that was involved in manufacturing of fake cumin (jeera). Five people have been arrested and 20,000 kilograms of fake cumin has been recovered from the accused, according to reports.

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The five accused have been identified as Karman, Ganga Prasad, Harinandan, Harish and Pawan. All of them are natives of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh (UP). According to the police, the fake jeera was being sold in the market for Rs 20 per kg, while the actual market value of ‘real’ jeera is about Rs 400 per kg.

According to Gaurav Sharma, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Outer North district, the police received a tip about the fake cumin seeds factory, and the police along with some FSSAI officials conducted a raid.

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"At the factory it was found that the gang was manufacturing fake cumin (Jeera) with the help of Grass, Stone Powder and Sheera. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they learnt the process of manufacturing the fake cumin from their town itself," Daily Pioneer quoted the DCP as saying.

It was found that some grass seeds are mixed with stone dust, semolina and grass paste to resemble cumin seeds.

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"The accused used to purchase raw material from Rajasthan and later sold the fake cumins in UP and Rajasthan. The fake cumin was used to mix with original cumin in the proportionate of 80:20. Their modus operandi is to work at a place for 20-30 days only and then they used to shift to other place," DCP further said.

The DCP also said, "Around 19,400 kg of fake Jeera along with 5250 kg of stone powder, 1600 kgs of grass and 1225 kg of Sheera (grass seeds) has been recovered from them.”

If the first thing you put in the pan to make any kind of vegetable, is fake, what can you really be sure of?

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