Bizman arrested for selling expired items; goods worth ₹56 lakh seized
Police raided four of his godowns across the city — two in Tri Nagar and one each in Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Nagar Large — and large quantities of expired items, including edible oils, chocolates, and soaps, worth ₹56 lakh were seized, police said.
New Delhi: Delhi Police’s Crime Branch on Thursday said it had arrested a 55-year-old businessman on Wednesday for allegedly tampering with the label of expired food and cosmetic products of popular brands and selling them at highly discounted prices.
The businessman was identified as 55-year-old Atul Jalan, a resident of north Delhi’s Tri Nagar. Police raided four of his godowns across the city — two in Tri Nagar and one each in Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Nagar Large — and large quantities of expired items, including edible oils, chocolates, and soaps, worth ₹56 lakh were seized, police said.
Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Pankaj Kumar said that in January 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had filed a complaint regarding the alleged sale and packaging of expired food products. A case was registered at the Crime Branch police station and an investigation was taken up.
“The sale of branded food and skincare products at highly discounted prices was unusual, raising doubts of expired items being sold,” said Kumar.
During the investigation, police found that Jalan had been involved in the illegal trade through his company, Akshat Online Trading, for the past nearly four years. The four premises linked to the company were inspected, expired products seized, and the buildings sealed off. Jalan was arrested on Wednesday after his role was confirmed, officers said.
“Jalan revealed that heavy losses in the share market led him to open departmental stores. However, when he was unable to meet the losses, he explored the possibility of purchasing near-expired products and selling them at lesser price on the pretext of festive offers,” the DCP said.
He added: “The businessman learnt that big brands would sell their products at lower prices when the expiry dates are nearer. So, he identified some agents in Mumbai who could arrange such deals and began purchasing items at throw-away prices. He also forged documents for transportation and authenticity, and re-labelled the products by tampering with expiry details.”
Police are now looking for other associates of Jalan.
Delhi Police arrested 55-year-old businessman Atul Jalan for allegedly tampering with labels of expired food and cosmetic products and selling them at discounted prices. A raid on four of his godowns led to the seizure of expired items worth ₹56 lakh. Jalan, who ran Akshat Online Trading, had been involved in this illegal trade for nearly four years, driven by financial losses.