Arrests Made in Milk Powder Scam Affecting Mandya Cooperative

Mandya district police arrested eight individuals, including U.C. Shivakumar, the former Chairman of Manmul, in connection with an alleged milk powder scam estimated to be worth around ₹3 crore. The arrests followed a complaint lodged on August 30, 2026, by Ashwini, an Assistant Manager in the Quality Assurance Department of Manmul. The investigation found that the main accused, Pradeep Kumar Jadhav, a Purchase Officer at Manmul, allegedly colluded with Shivakumar to secretly divert skimmed milk powder produced at the unit. This product was allegedly secretly loaded into vehicles and sold to private individuals through a godown in the Gejjalagere Industrial Area.

The case centers on allegations of shortages and the adulteration of the cooperative's milk powder stock. The investigation suggests that the diverted product was sold to private buyers, with the proceeds reportedly shared among the accused. The incident involves the operational integrity of the cooperative.