A court here has imposed fine on a distributor for selling betel nut coated with saccharine.
A team of officials led by Food Inspector Shanmugam collected scented betel nut from a shop at Tirunelveli Junction on March 3, 1992 and sent it for analysis that proved that the nut had been coated with saccharine.
Subsequently case was filed in the court against salesman of the shop Muthu, distributor Kannan and manufacturer, Rathna Enterprises, Chennai under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1964.
Even as the 23-year-old case was under trial, Muthu died and hence Judicial Magistrate II, Sundaraiah imposed a fine of Rs. 1,000 on Kannan and sentenced him till the rising of the court on Thursday.
Since the manufacturer did not appear in the court for trial, arrest warrant has been issued against Rathna Enterprises, Chennai.
