In a notable judgment, a shopkeeper in Sarkaghat, Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, faced stringent penalties for selling substandard snacks. The court not only imposed a fine of INR 10,000 but also sentenced the shopkeeper to stand throughout the day in the courtroom.
The case emerged after the Food Safety Department of Mandi district conducted a surprise inspection and collected samples of snacks from a local market in Sarkaghat. The samples were sent to a lab for quality testing, where they were found to contain sulfur oxide levels significantly above the permissible limits, rendering them unfit for consumption.
Despite the shopkeeper’s objections and requests for a retest, further analysis confirmed the initial findings. The retested samples, examined at a laboratory in Kandaghat, Solan district, also failed to meet the safety standards.
The shopkeeper has been issued a repeat notice following the reconfirmation of the test results. This case highlights the strict measures being enforced to ensure food safety and protect consumer health in Himachal Pradesh.
