Shopkeeper fined Rs 30,000 for selling supplements sans licence

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandigarh, has imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on Gaurav Gagneja, proprietor of M/S Bhagwati Medical and Surgicals, Mauli Jagran village, for carrying on food business and selling nutraceuticals and dietary supplements without having a valid food licence mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The court also sentenced the convict to undergo imprisonment till the rising of the court.

The Food Safety Officer, Chandigarh, in the complaint filed before the court said an inspection was carried out on March 29, 2023, on the premises of the accused where he was found carrying on the business of selling nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, etc. for human consumption without a licence.

On the basis of the material available on record, a notice under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, was served upon the accused for the offence. It said since the accused had pleaded guilty voluntarily and with consent, the court held him guilty and convicted him for committing the offence punishable under the Act. He was also sentenced to undergo imprisonment till the rising of the court and directed to pay a fine of Rs 30,000.

Meanwhile, in a separate order the court also imposed a fine of Rs 40,000 on Sushil Kumar for selling poor quality tomato sauce at the Chandigarh Railway Station.

A team from the food safety cell of the Northern Railway had taken the sample of the sauce from the vendor in 2015. The report from the lab revealed that it was not safe for human consumption.