Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force Central Zone team recently raided a godown in Fathe Nagar, Balanagar, and uncovered a large racket that was making adulterated tea powder using harmful chemicals. In the raid, the police arrested three individuals and confiscated a large amount of adulterated tea powder and other harmful chemicals worth Rs 2 lakh.
The arrested individuals are Bishoya Jagannath, aged 32, who is the main accused and the owner of Konark Tea Powder Sales & Suppliers, along with two others, Pratap Pradan (21) and Sivswain Parida (19). Jagannath has a history of food adulteration, having been arrested in three similar cases before. During the raid, authorities seized 300 kg of fake tea powder, 200 kg of coconut shell powder, and toxic colors like sunset and tyatrazen. They also found bottles of chocolate, cardamom, and milk flavoring, along with other suspicious materials.
According to the police, Jagannath bought low-quality tea powder from the market at Rs 80-100 per kg. He then mixed it with coconut shell powder and toxic chemicals before adding artificial flavors. The adulterated tea powder was sold for Rs 200-250 per kg, allowing him to make easy illegal profits. Pratap and Sivswain, who are originally from Odisha, were hired by Jagannath to help prepare and distribute the fake tea powder in Hyderabad and nearby areas.
On October 8, the Task Force team carried out the raid, arrested the suspects, and handed them over to the Department of Food Safety for further action. The police stated that the adulterated tea powder was mostly sold to roadside tea vendors and small traders who wanted to buy cheap tea. The toxic ingredients used in the tea are dangerous to human health and could lead to food poisoning if consumed in large amounts. Additionally, consuming substances like coconut shell husk could cause serious illnesses such as jaundice and typhoid, while the chemical flavors may cause allergies or even lead to intestine cancer.
