Dropsy accused granted bail

Prosecution counsel M K Sharma told newsmen that there were about 40 people against whom NBWs have been issued by the designated court and they would also be granted interim bail as a matter of right.

Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) says an accused has a right to dispute the finding of the Local Health Authority (LHA), which filed the complaints against them after getting the samples tested in local laboratories, andseek directions to get their samples tested by the CFL.

The PFA Act also provides that no proceedings shall continue against the accused till the final report reaches the court and if any adulteration is found out in it, the court may send the accused to custody.

In all, the LHA has filed 62 complaints against over 100 manufacturers and traders from across the city after collecting loose samples from them. The samples collected were divided into three parts so that a counterpart of the samples could be sent to CFL, Sharma said. He said many nominees of the accused manufacturers are facing prosecution in food adulteration cases as Section 17 (2) provides that a company can appoint its employee on his consent as a nominee to face prosecution.

The punishment under PFA provides for life imprisonment to a culprit with fine and the minimum period of imprisonment is three years with a fine of Rs 5,000.