The MANMUL milk powder adulteration case in Mandya has now taken a new turn and could be very serious in finding out that the adulterated milk powder was brought into the organisation to cover up a shortage in its existing stock.
Police are also investigating allegations that bags of MANMUL milk powder were illegally sold to private individuals using vehicles involved in the transportation of milk powder.
According to the nature of the investigation, a significant error was found in MANMUL's skimmed milk powder inventory through an audit and subsequent inspections by senior officials. MANMUL milk powder has been allegedly transferred and sold across the company, and there is speculation about how MANMUL milk powder is sold at a higher price to make up for the missing stock.
The audit revealed that a shortage of about 110.4 tonnes of milk powder was identified. Investigators claim that around 54.9 tonnes of adulterated milk powder was bought and stored to replace a portion of the missing inventory. Even after that, an additional shortage of around 55.5 tonnes remained.
Police have said the alleged shortage resulted in a financial loss of about ₹2.88 crore to the Mandya Milk Union. Now the investigation is on how the stock was removed, who was involved in its illegal sale, and how adulterated powder was brought in and stored.
One of the major allegations being considered is that MANMUL milk powder bags were transferred to private individuals through vehicles that transported the organisation’s milk powder. The money from these sales was then distributed among the accused, including former MANMUL chairman Ummadihalli Shivappa, former official Pradeep Jadhav, and others, the investigators have alleged.
The allegations have highlighted the importance of inventory management and quality control systems in large dairy cooperatives. Milk powder is a valuable processed dairy product, and discrepancies in large quantities can have huge financial implications for an organisation. Any attempt to replace missing stock with adulterated material could also raise serious quality and safety concerns; therefore, investigators are looking at the entire chain of procurement, storage, and transportation.
Several people have been arrested in connection with the case. Those who have been identified in the investigation are former MANMUL official Pradeep Jadhav, former chairman Ummadihalli Shivappa, system operator Shruthi, godown manager Ravi, in-charge official Srinivas, milk powder unit chief officer Srinivasamurthy, and Shivappa’s associate Suresh.
Another accused, Nideesh, died of a heart attack, the court ruled. Police are also searching for another accused, the deputy manager Ramakrishna, who is reported to be absconding.
The investigation has now entered a crucial phase, with police going through stock records, transportation documents, warehouse movements, and private sales to make sense of everything. More likely, a number of people were involved in bringing the missing stock in and out.
In Maddur, former MANMUL chairman Ummadihalli Shivappa has been taken into police custody for five days. His custody is expected to help investigators to probe him on the stock shortage, transportation of milk powder, and possible financial transactions linked to the case.
The case was first registered at the Maddur police station on August 30 after a complaint by an assistant manager from MANMUL’s quality-control division. The complaint was about skimmed milk powder stocks, they said.
The new revelations have added another layer to the investigation. What began as a stock shortage is now being looked into by the government alongside allegations of illegal sales and adulterated milk powder to conceal missing inventory.
With the investigation still in progress, police are trying to establish the exact role of each accused person and determine the full extent of the financial loss. The reported ₹2.88 crore loss, 110.4-tonne stock discrepancy, and alleged procurement of 54.9 tonnes of adulterated powder have been at the core of the investigation.
The investigation is expected to receive more evidence from MANMUL records, warehouses, transportation operations, and financial transactions in the coming weeks and months, officials say. But until the investigation and legal process are complete, the allegations against the accused remain allegations, and whether suspects are guilty of their crimes is up to the court and will be determined in due process.
