Traders fined for selling misbranded gutkha

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday inflicted hefty fine of Rs 1.10 lakh on Pratik Traders at Baramati in Pune and others for selling misbranded gutkha in January last year,much before the gutkha ban came into force.

V V Rupanwar,food and drug officer at Satara,pulled up the manufacturer and those involved in the sale of misbranded gutkha,a release issued here said.

Rupanwar found that the consignment did not have batch number and packing date on the label of Goa Gutkha.

Samples were taken from a Satara shop last year in January and were later seized.

Joint Commissioner FDA Shashikant Kekare said the FDA fined the offenders on Tuesday.