Hyderabad police on March 10, 2026, busted an alleged food adulteration and cheating racket involving the sale of unhygienic and long-stored goat and sheep offals in Mangalhat after receiving credible information. Acting jointly with the Task Force of the Golconda Zone and officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the police conducted a raid within the Mangalhat police station limits and arrested one accused who was allegedly selling stale meat as fresh, thereby endangering public health.
The arrested accused has been identified as Mohammed Afroz alias Afroz (41), who was operating a business under the name “A to Z Sheep & Goat Offals” at RK Pet near Chisti Chaman Dargah in Mangalhat. According to the police, the accused allegedly deceived customers by selling stale and unhygienic meat while falsely claiming that it was fresh and hygienic.
During the inspection of the premises, officials from the police, GHMC, and the Food Adulteration wing found that the accused had allegedly procured goat and sheep offals in bulk quantities from different states at very low prices. The meat was reportedly stored for prolonged periods in deep freezers and plastic tubs filled with stagnant water in order to delay decomposition and suppress foul odours.
Authorities said the accused then sold the stored meat to unsuspecting customers, misrepresenting it as fresh produce, in an attempt to make unlawful financial gains while posing a serious threat to public health.
During the raid, officials identified and seized approximately 300 kilograms of decomposed goat and sheep offals from the premises. The seized material was taken into custody by GHMC officials and later sent for safe disposal in accordance with prescribed procedures.
Police registered a case in Crime No. 102/2026 under Sections 125, 271, and 318(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is currently underway. Authorities also revealed that the accused had previously been involved in a similar offence and had earlier been fined by GHMC officials.
The raid was conducted under the supervision of G. Chandra Mohan, DCP, Golconda Zone, along with the ACP of Kulsumpura Division. The operation was executed by S. Raghvendra, SHO, T. Vinod, SI, S. Shruthi, SI, and the staff of Mangalhat Police Station, Hyderabad.
In another case of food adulteration, the Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force (Khairtabad Zone Team) conducted a raid at Shehzada Food Master in Mallepally, under the limits of Habeeb Nagar Police Station, and arrested Mohammed Farooq (50), the owner of the unit, for allegedly manufacturing and selling adulterated ginger-garlic paste in unhygienic conditions. According to the police, the paste was prepared by mixing acetic acid, synthetic food colours, gum powder and salt, and was stored in open plastic containers exposed to dust and flies, making it unsafe for human consumption.
During the inspection, officials also found that the FSSAI licence displayed at the premises had expired in 2018.
Police said the accused allegedly supplied the adulterated ginger-garlic paste to wholesale kirana stores, restaurants and catering services across Hyderabad.
During the raid, authorities seized about 1,090 kilograms of adulterated ginger-garlic paste, 875 kilograms of raw ginger and garlic, chemicals used for adulteration, grinding machines and a mobile phone. The total value of the seized materials is estimated at ₹2.2 lakh.
The accused along with the seized items was handed over to Habeeb Nagar Police Station, where a case has been registered in Crime No. 53/2026 under Sections 318(4) and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for further investigation.
These incidents expose a grave crime where perpetrators are playing with the lives of citizens by indulging in food adulteration and the sale of unhygienic products for illegal profit. The alleged acts by Afroz and Mohammed Farooq in Hyderabad are particularly alarming as they surfaced during Ramadan, when food consumption rises and many families depend on market supplies for daily meals and iftar.
Hyderabad police urged citizens to avoid purchasing meat or food items from unauthorised or unhygienic establishments and appealed to the public to report such food adulteration and illegal meat sale activities to the police or relevant authorities.
