Bengaluru, 26 Nov

The police have arrested a man and his wife, the kingpins behind the fake 'Nandini' ghee racket, days after the racket was uncovered. The couple, Shivakumar and Ramya, ran a manufacturing unit that produced counterfeit ghee under the 'Nandini' brand, owned by the Karnataka Co-operative Milk Producers' Federation (KMF).

A Central Crime Branch (CCB) raid uncovered large, high-tech machinery used to manufacture the adulterated product on an industrial scale. Authorities said the equipment, together with raw materials and stock, has been seized. Four other men linked to the racket had been arrested earlier.

Investigations began after suspicious supply patterns prompted KMF vigilance checks. On 14 November, a joint team from the CCB Special Investigation Squad and KMF Vigilance Wing tracked the operation to godowns and shops tied to Krishna Enterprises in Chamarajpet's Nanjamba Agrahara, believed to be the supply hub.

Police intercepted a vehicle transporting adulterated packed ghee from Tamil Nadu and seized assets worth Rs 1.26 crore, including 8,136 litres of spurious ghee. Tests are underway to determine whether animal fat was used. Further probe is underway.