Court declares Khyber milk unsafe, imposes fine of Rs 9 lakhs, convicts company officials for six months’
KC DESK
Srinagar: A local court has convicted Khyber Agro Farms for selling substandard, unsafe and misbranded food to the customers across Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Judicial Magistrate, Budgam, imposed a fine of rupees nine lacs on Khyber Agro Farms Pvt Limited and 06 months of imprisonment to the accused company through nominated officer.
The directions were passed after sample of toned milk (Khyber brand) collected by Food Safety Officer Zeenat Ayoub turned out to be substandard after analysis.
CJM Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone directed the Commissioner Food and Safety Act to take immediate steps in ensuring that the company (Khyber Agro) products are closed or taken off from the market unless Referral Laboratory Kolkatta declares that the product of the convicted company are safe to consume and products manufactured by the convicted company do not harm the nation as is proved by the medical report submitted by the SKIMS.
The Magistrate said it is the reason that ratio of cancer patients is increasing in valley and reasons for such diseases as disclosed by various newspapers as well as the medical research conducted by consuming adultered food.
The analysis conducted by a Referral Food laboratory Kolkatta confirms the samples as sub standard. The analysis report shows presence of detergent in the milk and also shows the milk fat lower than the prescribed limit. According to the report, it also contravenes Food Safety and standards (packaging and labelling) Regulations for not mentioning best before date and symbol of veg. Food on the label. The report submitted shows that the sample is sub-standard and mis-branded under rules.
It is the reason that ratio of cancer patients is increasing in valley
Court held the accused company guilty and convicted through its In-charge Operations nominated person Mohammad Shafi Ganie and was convicted under sections 51, 52 and 59 of FSS Act -2006 943 of 2006). Under this act fine of rupees 5 lac was imposed for selling Sub-Standard food, Rs 3 lac for mis-branded item and Rs 1 lac for selling unsafe food besides 06 months of imprisonment to the accused company through nominated company.
CJM Budgam said this was not the first case where it has come to the surface that the milk product manufactured by the accused company contains detergent urea and other dangerous chemicals not only in milk but other edible products.
Court ruled out the presumption of innocence in favour of the accused company on the grounds that the company is facing similar cases before various courts. “Therefore the presumption of innocence in favour of the accused company is ruled out”
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