The joint enforcement operation was conducted on Friday by Delhi Police, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Badarpur, and the non-governmental organisation Mission Mukti at the premises of M/s Westend Corporation Pvt. Ltd. in Okhla Phase-II.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the raid was initially carried out following information regarding the alleged employment of child labour at the factory. Although no child labourers were found during the inspection, officials allegedly uncovered a large-scale illegal operation in which expired and near-expiry branded food products were being relabelled and repackaged for commercial sale.
Investigators revealed that the accused allegedly purchased expired or near-expiry products of well-known brands at significantly reduced prices. They reportedly used chemical thinners to erase the original manufacturing and expiry dates from the packaging. Using specialised printing machines, the accused allegedly printed fresh manufacturing dates, expiry dates, batch numbers, barcodes, and Maximum Retail Prices before repackaging the products to make them appear genuine.
The seized stock included soft drinks, health drinks, instant noodles, clarified butter, and packaged fruit juices. Police said the tampered products were allegedly supplied through wholesale markets, distributed via e-commerce platforms, and were also intended for export, creating a significant risk to consumer health and safety.
During the search, officials recovered printing machines, sealing equipment, stamps, and chemical solvents allegedly used to alter product labels. Investigators said the recovered equipment indicated the existence of a fully operational illegal repackaging unit.
A First Information Report has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including offences related to cheating and the sale of unsafe food products. Further legal proceedings are being carried out against the accused.
The seven individuals arrested in connection with the case have been identified as company owner Darshan Singh Sachdeva, 70, manager Nitesh Bhardwaj, accountant Narender Kumar, machine operator Kapil, warehouse keeper Lucky Ojha, and supervisors Prem Yadav and Pawan Kumar Yadav.
In a separate statement, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said its Northern Regional Office initiated the enforcement action after receiving intelligence regarding the fraudulent relabelling of food products. During the operation, officials discovered more than 50,000 food and non-food items stored at the premises, with several allegedly carrying forged manufacturing dates, expiry dates, batch numbers, and altered labels.
The authority stated that strict legal action will be initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It also appealed to consumers to report suspected cases of food adulteration and counterfeit products to help protect public health.
Police said the investigation is continuing to identify the complete distribution network and determine the full scale of the alleged illegal operation. The case has raised serious concerns over food safety, counterfeit packaging practices, and the potential circulation of unsafe products in domestic and international markets.
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