Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force, Jubilee Hills Zone, busted a tea powder adulteration racket in Sanath Nagar and arrested a 33-year-old businessman for allegedly mixing synthetic chemicals to boost illegal profits.
Acting on credible information, the West Zone Task Force team, along with Sanath Nagar Police, raided premises within Sanath Nagar limits. Officers apprehended Jagannath Bishnoi, son of Gandhi Bishnoi, who runs a tea business.
During questioning, Jagannath Bishnoi admitted that he carried out tea powder adulteration for financial gain. He said he purchased cocopeat and filtered excess coconut husk before mixing it with hot jaggery water. He dried the mixture for two to three days.
After drying, he added synthetic food colours, Sunset Yellow and Tartrazine Orange, to the jaggery-mixed cocopeat. The mixture absorbed the colours and dried again before he used it in tea powder adulteration.
Accused used synthetic colours in tea powder adulteration
For every kilogram of adulterated tea powder, he mixed 450 grams of low-quality tea dust, 500 grams of low-grade tea granules and 50 grams of colour-mixed cocopeat. He then supplied the adulterated product to local tea stalls and dealers. He sold it at higher rates while projecting it as genuine tea powder.
Police seized 120 kilograms of colour-mixed tea powder and 30 kilograms of natural tea powder. They also seized 138 kilograms of cocopeat mix and one weighing machine. Officers recovered 800 grams of Sunset colour and 700 grams of Tartrazine colour from the premises.
The team further seized one domestic gas cylinder, three handles, one beaker and 12 boxes of jaggery weighing 500 grams each. They also confiscated 10 kilograms of carry bag bundles used for packing.
Inspector Ch. Yadendar of the West Zone Task Force led the raid. Sub-Inspector D. Raviraj and staff of the Commissioner’s Task Force, West Team, Hyderabad, joined the operation along with Banjara Hills Police.
Police advised the public to purchase tea powder only from authorised and reputed sellers. They warned that those involved in tea powder adulteration would face criminal cases and strict legal action.
COMMISSIONER’S TASK FORCE JUBILEE HILLS ZONE BUSTS TEA POWDER ADULTERATION RACKET
Based on credible information, the sleuths of the Commissioner’s Task Force, West Zone Team, along with Sanath Nagar Police, conducted a raid at premises within the limits of Sanath Nagar and… pic.twitter.com/FcjKto8pjZ
— Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) February 24, 2026