Selling adulterated items? You may get life term in prison

The Delhi government has decided to amend the existing Food Safety and Standards Act in the next assembly session ( scheduled in mid-June) and ensure maximum punishment, including life imprisonment, against anyone selling adulterated products.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has taken the issue seriously and ordered strict action against adulteration in the city.

“In extreme cases, where adulteration could lead to death, the Delhi government has proposed imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than 10 years but which may extend to imprisonment for life and a fine not less than ` 20 Lakh,” the government said in a statement.

Currently, the punishment for adulteration, if it results in death, is imprisonment for a term not less than seven years and a fine of ` 10 lakh.

The Delhi government has also proposed to increase the penalty for unhygienic or unsanitary processing or manufacturing of food from ` 1 lakh to ` 5 lakh.

The official said it had been decided that with the enhance- ment of penalty, transparency should be strengthened and the prosecution process should be made speedy and time-bound, including by setting up of special courts.

Any person involved in dealing with adultered food that is not injurious to health will have to face imprisonment for a term that may extend up to three years or with a fine which may extend to ` 5 lakh or both.

“Besides, where such adulterant is injurious to health, imprisonment will not be less than five years, which may extend up to life imprisonment or with fine which may extend to ` 10 lakh or both,” an official said

Penalty for misleading advertisements will be ` 10 lakh or thrice the cost of the advertisement, whichever is more.

“As per the proposal, for the purpose of adjudication under this Act, an officer not below the rank of additional district magistrate or metropolitan magistrate of the district where the alleged offence is committed, shall be notified by the state government as the adjudicating Officer for looking into the manner as may be prescribed by the Central government,” said a senior Delhi government official.