Baghpat News: A major crackdown on counterfeit bottled water in Baghpat district led to the destruction of a total of 2,663 bottles of fake 'mineral water' after District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh uncovered a counterfeit brand resembling a popular brand. The DM's swift action came during a routine inspection at the Niwada police checkpoint on the Uttar Pradesh-Haryana border, ahead of the Haryana elections.
The incident unfolded when a bottle of water labelled "Bislleri", a near-exact replica of Bisleri, was presented to the DM during the inspection. Suspecting foul play, Singh investigated and ordered a thorough inquiry by the food safety department to determine the purity of the water.
Assistant Food Safety Commissioner Manvendra Singh, acting on the DM’s instructions, traced the source of the counterfeit water bottles to a shop in Gauripur Jawahar Nagar village. Further investigation revealed that Bhim Singh, a resident of the same village, had been operating a warehouse from his home without a licence. The water, labelled as Bislleri, was being supplied to shops across Baghpat district, and its origin was traced to Haryana.
A raid was conducted on the premises, leading to the seizure of 2,663 bottles with the counterfeit label. Samples of the water were sent to laboratory for analysis, and a bulldozer was pressed into service to destroy the bottles on the spot. The warehouse was sealed due to the absence of proper licensing documents.
DM Jitendra Pratap Singh has said the sale of counterfeit food or beverages in the name of trusted brands would not be tolerated, and strict action taken against anyone found involved in such activities. He instructed the formation of a special team to continue the crackdown on counterfeit goods in the district.
This is not the first time fake bottled water has been uncovered in the area. A similar case had been reported earlier in Sinauli village.