Chandigarh firm owners fined Rs 90,000 for running food business sans licence

A local court has imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on the partners of a city-based firm for running a food business without the licence mandated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The court has also directed salesman of the firm to pay Rs 10,000 as fine.The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sachin Yadav has sentenced all the convicts, including partners Sunil Khanna, Rakesh Singla and Vipin Kumar Gupta, to undergo imprisonment till the rising of the court.

Food Safety Officer Bhaljinder Singh had in a complaint filed before the court said the accused were found running a business and selling food articles like alcoholic drinks etc. for human consumption without a food licence during an inspection on May 4, 2018.

On the basis of the material available on record, notices were served upon the accused under sections 26(2)(iii) and 31(1) of the Act, punishable under section 63, on June 2, 2023, to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial .

The court said when the case was fixed for recording evidence of the complainant, the accused made a separate statement, wherein they confessed their guilt. Since the accused persons have pleaded guilty with free consent and voluntarily, they were held guilty.

Khanna, Singla and Gupta being partners have been directed to pay fine of 90,000 while the salesman has been directed to pay Rs 10,000.

Chandigarh