Fake Mysore Sandal Soap unit busted by KSDL officials

It came to light that the fake Mysore Sandal Soap production facility recently raided in Hyderabad that had been operating for ten years without the coming notice of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd. (KSDL).

In the investigation, the unit’s turnover had been estimated since its founding to be between Rs. 500 and Rs. 600 crore, which was the quantum of the loss to KSDL.

The officials from KSDL conducted a recent raid along with Telangana police on the fake manufacturing facility that produces fake Mysore sandal soap.

Rakesh and Mahaveer Jain, residents of Hyderabad, were arrested and charged with producing fake Mysore Sandal Soap and other KSDL products during the search operation.

On January 12, following the direction from M.B. Patil, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development and also KSDL chairman B. Prem Kumar, branch manager of Hyderabad KSDL, approached the police based on the tip-off the Minister had received.

The officials stated that the KSDL conducted searches into the manufacturing unit and duplicated products before contacting the police.

The fake products worth Rs. 5 lakh were purchased by them and subjected to testing. The staff at KSDL strategically ordered soaps worth Rs.25 lakh, even though they were unable to locate the factory that manufactured the fake products.

On the pretext of picking up the consignment, they managed to reach the facility where the fake soaps were being produced.

Meanwhile, during the investigation, the police seized 20 cartons that had three soap packs, each weighing 150 g (a total of 1,800 pieces), in addition to 47 cartons for each soap weighing 75 g (amounting to 9,400 pieces).

Furthermore, 400 empty packaging boxes containing 150 g of Mysore sandal soap and 400 empty packaging boxes containing 75 g of Mysore sandal soap were seized.

The officials found that the fake soaps contained heavy metals and lacked high-quality sandal oil after examining them in the KSDL lab. According to officials, the people running the manufacturing unit of fake Mysore Sandal soap were also involved in the production of ghee and coconut oil, two other popular branded goods.

In the meantime, the twenty-one new soaps and detergent products that were manufactured by KSDL were released by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday.

He instructed the KSDL management to manufacture and market the soaps in accordance with consumer preferences.

He stated that the business of the company could be increased only by producing products based on the needs and tastes of consumers in the market.

According to the Chief Minister, KSDL has made a profit of Rs. 182 crore till now in this financial year against Rs. 132 crore in 2022-23, an increase of Rs. 50 crore.