Delhi Crime Branch busts two illegal factories making fake cement; one arrested

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) The Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted two illegal factories allegedly involved in manufacturing and packaging counterfeit UltraTech Cement in northeast Delhi, recovering a huge quantity of fake cement bags, adulterated material and machinery used in the operation.

According to a press release issued by the Crime Branch on Friday, the raids were carried out in Mandoli Industrial Area and Jawahar Nagar Industrial Area following a complaint from UltraTech Cement Ltd. One accused, identified as Rizwan, was arrested during the operation.

The Crime Branch stated that the accused were allegedly preparing duplicate cement by crushing damaged cement and mixing it with clinker material before packing it in counterfeit UltraTech-branded bags for sale in the market.

“Staff of ER-II/Crime Branch showed promptness and professionalism by busting two illegal factories involved in manufacturing and packaging duplicate/counterfeit cement,” the press release said.

Police said the action began after Kamal Singh, authorised representative of UltraTech Cement Ltd., informed authorities that fake cement was being manufactured on a large scale during night hours using counterfeit packaging material.

Following the complaint, a special raiding team was constituted under the leadership of Inspector Sunil Kundu and under the overall supervision of ACP Narender Singh, ER-II/Crime. The team included SI Arjun Singh, ASI Upender, ASI Satender, HC Prince, HC Mohit, HC Rajeev and HC Vikas.

During the first raid at New Mandoli Industrial Area, police found accused Rizwan allegedly supervising the illegal manufacturing process. “During interrogation, he disclosed that damaged cement was being crushed and mixed with clinker material for preparation of duplicate/counterfeit cement, which was then packed in fake UltraTech branded bags,” the Crime Branch said.

A second raid at Jawahar Nagar Industrial Area led to the detection of another illegal unit involved in similar activities.

Police recovered 2,725 empty counterfeit UltraTech cement bags of different variants, 341 filled fake cement bags, nearly 1,780 bags of damaged cement, and 420 bags containing clinker material allegedly used in producing counterfeit cement. Large quantities of loose, adulterated cement were also seized.

Both factory premises, along with the machinery and materials used in the operation, have been sealed by the police.

The arrested accused, Rizwan, 25, is a resident of Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh and was allegedly working as a supervisor at the units.

Delhi Police said an FIR has been registered under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Copyright Act at the Crime Branch police station. Further investigation into the racket is currently underway with the search on to find the big fish behind the operation.

–IANS

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Responding to a private member’s bill seeking airfare regulation amid the IndiGo crisis, which sent ticket prices soaring, the minister said that the core idea of deregulation remains, and “If we want the civil aviation sector to grow, the foremost requirement is to keep it deregulated so that more players can enter the market.”

“Airfares usually rise during the festive season because of increased demand on specific routes and at particular times. These fluctuations are seasonal, and it is not feasible to cap fares for an entire year on any given sector. Market demand and supply naturally regulate airfares on their own,” the minister said.

The Aviation Minister pointed out that regulating airfares is “not a one-way solution,” as the government must consider the long-term viability of the entire aviation ecosystem, including airlines, airports, and the operational network that connects them.

He pointed out that countries that have seen rapid growth in the aviation sector typically have deregulated markets that encourage more players and competition.

Ticket prices are best discovered through demand and supply, with passengers gaining over time as competition among airlines brings down fares, he added.

“We also have statistics to show that when we compare India’s airfares with those in other countries, the rate of increase is actually negative,” Naidu said.

At the same time, Naidu highlighted that the Centre retains powers under the Aircraft Act to cap fares in extraordinary situations to protect passengers.

He cited instances such as Covid-19, and events like Mahakumbh, the Pahalgam–Srinagar situation and the recent disruption in IndiGo flights when the government has stepped in to curb the sudden surge in airfares.

Citing another example of price regulation, Naidu highlighted the ‘Fare Se Fursat’ scheme, launched in collaboration with the Alliance of Airlines, under which the government has fixed fares on 25 routes, including those in the Northeast and South India.

The minister pointed out that an increase in capacity was the longer-term answer to recurring price spikes, signalling the government’s view that supply constraints, not just airline pricing, shape fare volatility.

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Probe into Air India plane crash still in progress: AAIB

New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday “categorically clarified” that reports suggesting the investigation into the Air India Flight AI-171 accident has been finalised are incorrect and speculative.

“The investigation is still in progress. No final conclusions have been reached,” the AAIB said in a statement.

The Preliminary Report released earlier provided factual information available at that stage. The Final Investigation Report, containing conclusions and safety recommendations, will be published upon completion of the investigation in line with established international norms, the statement said.

The AAIB conducts investigations strictly in accordance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and India’s obligations under ICAO Annex 13. Aircraft accident investigations are technical, evidence-based processes aimed at determining root causes and enhancing safety, it added.

The AAIB urged media organisations to exercise restraint and avoid premature speculation, noting that unverified reporting causes unnecessary public anxiety and undermines the integrity of an ongoing professional investigation.

The AAIB remains fully committed to transparency, procedural integrity and the highest standards of aviation safety, the statement added.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha earlier this month that the AAIB is investigating the Air India flight AI-171 crash at Ahmedabad in June last year from all angles and aims to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner.

“All probable causes leading to the accident are being investigated, and all efforts are being made to complete the investigation in a time-bound manner”, in accordance with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) rules, the Minister said in a written reply to a question in the house.

Air India flight AI 171 crashed just seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport into a medical college hostel building, killing 241 passengers and crew on board the plane and another 19 people on the ground on June 12, 2025.

A preliminary report released by the AAIB on July 12 stated that both engines of the ill-fated Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lost thrust after the two fuel cut-off switches moved from the ‘RUN’ to the ‘CUTOFF’ position. However, the cockpit voice recorder has revealed that one of the pilots told the other that he did not turn off the fuel control switches. The fuel switches were then returned to the RUN position just before the plane crashed.

–IANS

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Woman’s half-burnt body found in Tripura; 4 held

Agartala, Sep 20 (IANS) Tripura police on Saturday arrested four people and suspended a police officer in connection with the recovery of a half-burnt body of a woman in Tripura’s Gomati district, officials said.

Superintendent of Police of Gomati district Kiran Kumar K said that four people were arrested in connection with the recovery of a half-burnt body of a woman on Saturday at Mirza in the Kakaraban police station area of the district.

“We have suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sarkar for negligence of duties in the incident,” the district police chief told IANS on Saturday night.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, who holds the home portfolio, in a Facebook post on Saturday night said that a detailed enquiry has been ordered into the Mirza incident.

“All those involved in this heinous crime will be brought to justice as per the law. In this connection, four accused persons have been arrested,” Saha said.

Another police official said that the victim’s husband, Pankaj Sarkar, claimed five youths first assaulted his wife on Friday night, then poured petrol on her and set her on fire, after which she succumbed to her injuries.

The police officer said they have registered a case in the incident and added that they will get the postmortem examination report on Sunday and after that the case would be modified with a clear position of the case.

So far, the FIR was registered as an unnatural death, the official said, adding that the investigation has been going on along with the search to nab all the perpetrators.

“More sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 will be added based on information received during the investigation and the inquest report,” the official said.

The woman’s husband alleged that one of the five accused is a nephew of a local BJP MLA. Before the Friday’s incident Pankaj Sarkar and his wife, mother of two children, went to Kakraban police station to lodge a complaint against three persons for threatening them and assaulted them while they were working in their shop at Mirza market on Thursday night over previous enmity.

Police refused to accept the complaint, he alleged. “We returned home and went to sleep separately as we often do. This morning, my wife’s half-burnt body was found on a nearby road,” Sarkar alleged.

The local MLA could not be reached for a comment. The opposition Congress and the CPI (M) criticised the police over the incident, alleging that they were trying to shield the accused.

“Initially, the police did not register the complaint of Pankaj Sarkar and his wife. What is more worrying is that the couple was chased by the accused when they were returning home from the police station. It seems that the police are trying to shield the accused,” district Congress president Titan Paul alleged.

Locals said that the couple was also known as BJP members in the area. Leaders of the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and CPI (M) have visited the deceased’s residence and assured strict action, irrespective of rhe identify of the culprits.

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