As names of thousands of donors across businessmen and corporations who bought electoral bonds was released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday evening, 14 March, among them, two beef exporting companies —Allanasons Private Limited and Frigorifico Allana Private Limited have also come forth. Both companies are promoted by the Allana group of companies.
While Allanasons donated Rs 2 crore on 9 July 2019 and then Rs 1 crore on 9 October 2019, Frigorifico donated Rs 2 cores on 9 July 2019 as well.
Donations in July 2019 by both the companies.
(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
Donations in October 2019 by Allanasons.
(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
Moreover two more companies, Allana Cold Storage donated 1 crore on 9 July 2019 too. Frigerio Conserva Allana bought a Rs 2 crore bond in January 2020.
These companies are mentioned as 'facilities' on Allana and are, however, headed by different Directors. If we include these two amounts, then the total donation by Allana group collectively comes to Rs 7 crores.
Two more 'facilities' donated Rs 1 crore, each.
(Photo: Allana/website)
In January 2019, the Mumbai wing of the Income Tax department carried out raids early that month at Allana group. The raids were reportedly conducted at over 100 units for over two days, as per The Economic Times.
In April 2019, almost three months after the IT raid, tax officials alleged that "India's largest buffalo meat exporter" has allegedly evaded paying Rs 2,000 crore worth of tax, as per sources to ET.
You can all The Quint's report on the released SBI data and electoral bonds here.
Here's What We Know: Established in 1865, Allanasons Private Limited's website states that they are "top Exporter , Manufacturer and Supplier of the highest yield of Branded Processed Food Products and Agro Commodities."
Their annual turnover as, they state is Rs. 500 - 1,000 crore.
"India’s largest exporter of branded processed food products & agro commodities to over 85 countries.....South East Asia, Middle East, CIS, Africa and Pacific Basin Nations.," their LinkedIn post reads.
The company is listed with the stock exchange with Sharjah-based Shiraz AR Allana as its promoter. Allana group as a whole is under Abdulla Allana,
On the other hand, Frigorifico Allana Private Limited was incorporated on 5 September 1986.
Established in 2013, their website reads that "FAL is the consumer product division of the 150+ years old Allana Group based in Mumbai."
The company has built a portfolio of brands and products in the B2B and B2C space across the categories of culinary oils and fats, specialty, bakery ingredients and specialized oils & fats for specific industrial food.
Among the directors in both the companies is Anwar Husain Chauhan.
A Mumbai-resident, Chauhan is associated with 32 Companies and is as a 'Casual Vacancy Director' with Hilal Foods Private Limited, Director with Allana Trading And Exports Limited, Ivp Limited, Allana Frozen Foods Private Limited, Frigorifico Allana Private Limited.
Prior to this, in December 2015, it was revealed that BJP received Rs 2.50 crore in donations from Frigorifico Allana Limited, Frigerio Converva Allana Limited and Indagro Foods Limited in the run-up to the 2014 general elections.
This is according to contribution reports for financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15 submitted to the Election Commission of India.
The data from the SBI also revealed that at least 14 out of the top 30 companies which purchased electoral bonds from 12 April 2019 to 24 January 2024 faced action by central or state probe agencies.
During 2014 elections, PM Modi had raked up the issue of beef exports as an election issue. Then, he talked about the 'pink revolution,' a term used to describe the technological advancements in the meat and poultry processing sector in India.
Beef exports have only increased substantially in the past decade in India. India is the second largest beef exporter in the world, after Brazil.
As per Statista, about 1.42 million metric tons of Carcass Weight Equivalent (CWE) of beef and veal were exported from India in 2023.
"The CWE of beef and veal is likely to be 1.46 million metric tons in 2024, and stood third in terms of production volume in the world."
Now, a day after the ECI published the electoral bonds data, the Supreme Court on Friday, 15 March, said that the State Bank of India has not published the 'Electoral Bonds' numbers and issued a notice regarding the same.
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