Dairy product maker Keventer, biggest donor to Samajwadi Party, it encashed EBs worth Rs 10 cr during 2019 LS polls | Lucknow News – DairyScoop

LUCKNOW: Two days prior to the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 12, 2019, the Samajwadi Party encashed Electoral Bonds (EBs) worth Rs 10 crore at the Hazratganj-based main branch of the SBI. All these EBs were donated to it by the Kolkata-based leading FMCG firm, the Keventer Group, which emerged as its largest donor.
With a focus on dairy, fresh food, packaged food, and beverages, boasting a 125-year history, the group stands as the third biggest corporate donor overall to political parties, with four of its different entities purchasing EBs worth Rs 617 crore.
The SP received Rs 14.05 crore in funds through EBs between April 18, 2019, and January 13, 2022, out of which Rs 1 crore worth 10 EBs were purchased by the Keventer Food Park Infra Limited (KFPIL). KFPIL donated a total of Rs 195 crore through EBs, including Rs 20 crore each to Congress and TMC, and Rs 144.5 crore to BJP.

Other entities of the Keventer group, including Madanlal Ltd, paid Rs 185.5 crore, with Rs 175.5 crore to BJP and Rs 10 crore to Congress. Meanwhile, MKJ Enterprises funded Rs 192.4 crore via EBs, including Rs 26.9 crore to BJP, Rs 91.7 crore to Congress, Rs 45.9 crore to TMC, and Rs 10 crore each to BJD and BRS, and Rs 7 crore to AAP.
Similarly, Sasmal Infrastructure, which paid Rs 44 crore, allocated Rs 5 crore to BJP and Rs 39 crore to Congress, as per data released by the ECI.
These entities are part of the Keventer group, led by its flagship company, Keventer Agro Ltd.
The brand Keventer was established by Swedish citizen Edward Keventer, who revolutionized dairy, particularly scientific cattle breeding, nutrition, and pasteurized dairy milk. In 1986, Keventer Agro acquired the rights of Edward Keventer’s operations, as per the official website of Keventer Agro.
In 2010, Keventer Agro partnered with Parle Agro, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and distributing Parle products such as Frooti, Appy Fizz, Bailley water, and Smoodh Chocolate.
The second largest corporate donor for SP was Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited, which provided three EBs each valued at Rs 1 crore. These EBs were encashed on January 13, 2022, just before the UP assembly polls. This was followed by MS Jugendra Singh and Company, which donated Rs 21 lakh. These EBs were also encashed on January 10, 2022.
The party also received Rs 84 lakh in donations through 30 bonds, including six bonds each valued at Rs 10 lakh, and 24 bonds each valued at Rs 1 lakh. All these were encashed on April 18, 2019. However, with the available data produced by SBI, the donors could not be matched.