In an enormous seizure, the health department laid it hand on a huge quantity of synthetic milk from a dhaba here on Thursday. Punjab health minister Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla – who rushed to the spot along with secretary, health, Tilak R Sarangal – and personally supervised the operation before handing over the case to police.

“Over 15,000 litres of synthetic milk has been seized during the raid at Guru Kirpa Vaishnu Dhaba at Rajpura bypass, which was being prepared by using detergents, molasses and urea among other things,” said Chawla. This milk was being prepared in concentrated form and was later being diluted in a tanker, which has also been impounded, she added.

As the operation was going on, a local Akali leader started pressurising the health authorities to release the tanker, but Chawla asked the officials not to succumb to such pressures. She said no person indulging in such activity would be spared. Notably, this dhaba is stated to be owned by a Youth Akali leader, but no arrest has been made. Chawla disclosed that on Wednesday, the health authorities had raided all district jails and had collected over 100 samples of food prepared there.