4,370 counterfeit tea packets seized in Panchkula, 1 held

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 29

The police have seized 4,370 counterfeit packets of Tata Tea brand from a wholesale supplier in Sector 20.

Sajid, manager of Shri Mahabir Sales, has been arrested by the police. The haul is estimated to be worth Rs10-12 lakh, said the police.

Sub-Inspector Minaxi, the investigating officer of the case, said: “We have recovered as many as 4,370 counterfeit packets of 250g and 500g adulterated tea being sold in the name of Tata Tea from the supplier’s godown.”

A case has been registered against five persons – owner Manish Kumar, his brother Vinod and three managers Arjun, Kuldip and Sajid – at the Sector 20 police station under Section 420 of the IPC and relevant sections of the Copy Right Act, said the police.

Minaxi said the police would further investigate from where the suspects used to procure the raw material.

“They used to supply the adulterated tea in Panchkula and neighboring areas like Zirakpur and Dera Bassi,” said the police.

The police had received a complaint from a company’s representative, following which a surprise raid was conducted and a huge cache of adulterated tea was seized.

Recently, the police had recovered different kinds of fake materials being sold in the name of popular brands like Dettol, Harpic and Savlon from the same supplier.