Updated on Oct 12, 12.33 p.m.

As per the latest developments, the mohanthal prasad samples revealed that vegetable oil was being used instead of ghee in the prasad.

Mohini Caterers bought fake ghee from Ahmedabad's Neelkanth Traders at a relatively low price of ₹8,000. However, 15 kg of ghee from Amul is sold at ₹13,000-₹15,000. 

This further revealed that Mohini Caterers was aware of the fake ghee.

Had the samples not been taken by the authorities, 5,200 boxes of duplicate ghee would have been used in making Ambaji prasad.

Municipal commissioner M  Thennarasan directed the food department to test the samples of ghee and oil in the market and various other food products in the city amid the festive seasons of Navratri and Diwali.

As the ‘Bhadarvi Poonam’ fair at Gujarat’s Ambaji temple concluded, a controversy sparked up regarding the famous mohanthal prasad (offering made to deity). The Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) found during sample testing that substandard ghee was supplied which was falsely represented as being Amul ghee. 

The annual Bhadarvi Poonam festival was held from Sept 23 - 29 during which lakhs of devotees paid a visit to the Ambaji temple in Sabarkantha. 

Himatnagar-based Sabar Dairy filed an FIR against Mohini Caterers, a firm that has been given the contract to make mohanthal prasad.

Amul also registered a complaint against Mohini Caterers at Ambaji police station for falsely using the company’s name.

Temple administrator Siddhi Verma said, “The tender of Mohini Caterers has not been renewed by Ambaji temple, which was concluded on Sept 30.”

However, no agency has been assigned to make prasad yet, and a meeting will be held to appoint the new caterer.

Adulteration in prasad

“2,820 kg of substandard ghee worth ₹8 lakh was seized from Mohini Caterers on Aug 28,” said HG Koshia, FDCA commissioner. He added, “188 tins of 15 kg each were seized from the firm that was given the contract to prepare the mohanthal prasad.”

Banaskantha collector and chairperson of the Shree Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust (SAAMDT), the governing body of the Ambaji temple, Varun Kumar Baranwal said, “On Aug 28, the FDCA had collected samples of ghee before making offerings for the Bhadarvi Poonam fair. As the suspicion about the quality of the ghee had arisen, the entire batch was sealed by the department.”

Following this, the temple trust requested Banas Dairy to provide an equivalent amount of pure ghee to prepare prasad for the Bhadarvi Poonam festival.

Adulterated ghee supplied from Ahmedabad

Ambaji police reached Ahmedabad following a lead that adulterated ghee used in ‘mohanthal prasad’ of Ambaji was supplied by Lal Darwaja-based Neelkanth Traders.

Ambaji police sub inspector seized three tins from the shop and informed Madhupura police station.

Mohini Caterers also holds contracts with Gujarat Bhawan and the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation).

In a quote to the press, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) managing director Jayen Mehta said that no dairy union affiliated with the federation is engaged in such activities. He reiterated that the Amul ghee available on the market is authentic and of high quality.

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