Ambaji: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Tuesday sealed Neelkanth Traders in the Madhupura area of Ahmedabad, which allegedly supplied substandard and counterfeit ghee to Mohini Caterers, the entity responsible for making Mohanthal Prasad for Ambaji Temple. This revelation came after the police initiated an investigation into the use of substandard ghee by Mohini Caterers.

A joint team comprising members from the Gandhinagar Food Department, Ambaji Police, and the AMC’s Food Department conducted an inquiry at Neelkanth Traders in the Madhupura area of Ahmedabad. The municipal corporation’s food department confiscated three 15-kg containers of ghee late on Tuesday night. The owner was absent during the raid, and the AMC has sealed both the shop and the godown (warehouse) of the firm. Samples of the ghee were taken from Neelkanth Traders, and further action will be taken.

It was learned that the batch numbers, specifications on the containers, labels, etc., printed on the sealed ghee containers from Mohini Caterers in Ambaji did not conform to the regulations. The ghee was falsely branded as the product of Amul Ghee from Sabar Dairy. The dairy has already filed an FIR in this matter.

When the teams from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Food Department and the Gandhinagar Food and Safety Department arrived at Neelkanth Traders’ shop in Madhupura, only the workers were present. The present workers did not cooperate with the municipal corporation team in any way. When questioned by the team, the lights were switched off, and they did not provide a proper response. When asked for the key to the godown and to open it, they claimed not to have the key and expressed ignorance. Thus, there are concerns about the functioning of Neelkanth Traders due to the non-cooperation of the workers with the food department team. DeshGujarat