#Food Adulteration

Allahabad High Court allows commutation of a one-year sentence under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act to a fine deposit of Rs. 10,000, despite the statutory minimum sentence, citing a 15-year delay in justice. The ruling underscores judicial discretion to balance societal harm with prolonged incarceration, setting a precedent for similar cases involving delayed trials.

Kerala High Court rules that a salesman selling adulterated food (tartrazine in banana chips) is criminally liable under Section 16(1A)(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, even if the shop owner is acquitted. The judgment reinforces strict vicarious liability for employees in food safety violations, irrespective of employer culpability.

Gujarat High Court rules that substandard food under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 warrants only a monetary penalty, not criminal conviction. The judgment distinguishes substandard from unsafe food, limiting criminal liability to cases involving health hazards and setting a precedent for food adulteration prosecutions.