Dairy owner arrested for selling fake ghee pouches resembling Sumul brand in Surat

Surat : The Surat-Tapi District Co-Operative Milk Producer’s Union Ltd, popularly known as Sumul Dairy, is struggling to protect its reputation in the market as the sale of counterfeit products continue in Surat. This comes after authorities discovered fake Sumul ghee pouches being sold from a dairy shop in the Kapodara area of Surat.

The proactive efforts began after Sumul Dairy received intel about the sale of fake ghee resembling Sumul brand in the Kapodara area. Acting swiftly, they alerted the Surat Municipal Corporation’s food safety officer. On April 1st evening, a surprise inspection was conducted at Hasmukha Hanuman Dairy and Bakery in Kapodra.

During the raid, three pouches of fake 1-liter Sumul ghee and five pouches of 500 ml genuine ghee were found displayed at the dairy. The dairy owner was selling the pouches at the same prices to that of the prices offered by Sumul dairy.

The discovered fake ghee pouches, coupled with the initial tip-off, spurred Sumul Dairy’s legal officer, Dipesh Bhatt, to file a complaint with the Kapodra police. This resulted in a case being registered against the dairy owner, Kishan Shanti Viramgama (32), a resident of Mota Varachha.

Investigations revealed a crucial detail – the involvement of a supplier named Pratik Thakkar from Deesa.  Viramgama reportedly received the fake pouches from Thakkar.  With this information, the Surat police have launched a manhunt to locate Thakkar. Apprehending him is crucial to uncovering the source of the counterfeit packaging, including the printing press that produced the deceptive pouches. These pouches were designed to mimic genuine Sumul ghee, complete with code numbers, manufacturing, and expiry dates.

By taking decisive action, Sumul Dairy aims to safeguard the trust placed in their brand by consumers across Surat and the South Gujarat region. The ongoing investigation not only seeks to punish those involved in the sale of counterfeit products but also to dismantle the network responsible for their production. This case highlights the importance of brand vigilance and consumer awareness in identifying and reporting instances of product duplication.