Big Crackdown: Illegal Fertiliser & Pesticide Unit Raided in Faridkot, FIR Registered
• Entire supply chain behind spurious agri-inputs to be investigated: Khudian
Chandigarh, May 7
In a major crackdown on spurious agricultural inputs, the Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department raided a residential property in Faridkot and uncovered an illegal fertiliser and pesticide packaging unit being run without any licence or permission.
An FIR has been registered against Rajinder Sethi, owner of the property, at City Police Station, Faridkot.
Sharing details of the raid, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Khudian said, “Acting on credible information, a team of the Agriculture Department, along with the local police, raided House No. 87, Street No. 2, Narain Nagar, Faridkot. The owner, Rajinder Sethi, was operating an illegal fertiliser and pesticide packaging unit from his residence. He was sourcing material from M/s Amravati Agro Corp., Nalagarh, Solan (Himachal Pradesh), which is now also under the department’s scanner.
watch…..ਆਪ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ 4 ਸਾਲ: ਗਾਰੰਟੀਆਂ ਪੂਰੀਆਂ, ਨਸ਼ੇ ਮੁਕਤ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੇੜੇ
The minister further revealed that Rajinder Sethi’s retail fertiliser licence for Faridkot district had already expired, yet he was continuing commercial activities in clear violation of the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985.
During the raid, the team seized 18 fertiliser samples for laboratory testing. Additionally, two batches of expired fertiliser and eight expired pesticides were recovered. The team also found unmarked and open bags containing suspected spurious fertiliser, along with sewing and sealing machines used for illegal repackaging.
On the complaint of the Agriculture Department, the Faridkot Police has registered an FIR against Rajinder Sethi under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, Fertiliser Control Order 1985, Essential Commodities Act 1955, and Insecticides Act 1968.
Gurmeet Singh Khudian warned, “This is a serious case of criminal negligence and cheating with farmers. No one involved in the business of fake or expired agri-inputs will be spared. The Bhagwant Mann Government will not stop at this raid. We will thoroughly investigate the entire supply chain, including the Himachal Pradesh-based supplier.”
He appealed to farmers across Punjab to immediately report any suspicious fertiliser or pesticide dealers to the Agriculture Department.
