Judicial Magistrate No. IV K. Lingam sentenced a trader to undergo one-day imprisonment and levied a fine of Rs. 45,000 for adulterating food items in 2014.
On December 23, 2014, based on a tipoff, a team led by T. Anuradha, District Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, inspected a godown located near Mulapilliyar Kovil on Siddhar Kovil Main Road and found adulterated spices and millets kept for distribution.
Inquiries revealed that fennel seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, mustard and fenugreek seeds were purchased in bulk quantities from Gujarat and resemblance of these products were also purchased from New Delhi. Later, chemicals were mixed and the adulterated products were packed and sent for sales in other districts.
About 42 bags of adulterated products were found in the godown and were sealed. Samples were taken and sent to the Government Food Laboratory in Udayapatti in Salem. A case was filed in the court.
The magistrate found that adulteration was done by the trader, Kirit, in cumin seeds and sentenced him to undergo a day’s imprisonment besides levying the fine.
Officials said that another case was pending in the court against the trader for adulterating other products. So far, traders were convicted in six cases in the district for adulterating products and had paid a fine of Rs. 2.49 lakh in the court.
