Bhopal, Aug 2 (IANS): A key accused caught under National Security Act for manufacturing, packaging and distributing adulterated ghee in Madhya Pradesh is a member of the RSS and a old hand at the adulteration business.

Kirtivardhan Kelkar, whom police arrested from Ujjain on Thursday, happens to be the nephew of former senior RSS functionary Suryakant Kelkar. He is also a member of RSS.

Kelkar was earlier caught supplying adulterated stuff to the organisers of Simhastha fair at Ujjain in 2016, but let off allegedly due to his connections. The state government is separately investigating the multi-million rupee scam during the Simhastha fair.

More than 450 litres of hydrogenated oil, four litres of essence and 102 bottles of chemicals to synthesise ghee were recovered from Kelkar.

This is the first arrest of an alleged adulterator under NSA. The operation against the adulterators began about two weeks ago when large scale manufacturing and distribution network was exposed in the state's Chambal region.

The synthetic milk and milk products business has flourished in the state, which produces over 30 per cent of products sold all over the country, for nearly 15 years.

Almost 85 per cent of food adulteration cases registered in the state's Bhind district, primarily relating to milk and dairy products, are pending in courts since 2011. An inter-state racket involving adulteration of milk and dairy products was busted in early July.

There have been convictions in only eight of the 55 cases registered between January 22, 2011, and September 4, 2017, in the region. The last conviction was in 2016.

On July 19, the State Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Department and a Special Task Force raided units manufacturing synthetic milk and dairy products in Bhind and Morena districts. Around 10,000 litres of synthetic milk, 500 kg of mawa and 200 kg of paneer were seized. Around 60 persons, including food inspectors, were arrested.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath had ordered a special campaign against adulterators. A surprise raid was conducted at the Shri Krishna Industries, which was packaging adulterated ghee. Collector Shashank Mishra has ordered action against Kelkar.

Kamal Nath, in a Hindi tweet in Hindi, said that those involved in the adulteration of milk or milk products or all other food items are enemies of society and humanity and cannot be forgiven."

In another tweet, he said: "Action will be continued against those who manufactured adulterated milk and milk products in the state."