Topic

Penalty vs Punishment

1 articleLatest March 2026
Food Safety Act | Substandard Food Only Attracts Fine, Not Criminal Conviction : Gujarat HC Clarifies Penalty vs Punishment
Case Law Analysis
|Gujarat High Court

Food Safety Act | Substandard Food Only Attracts Fine, Not Criminal Conviction : Gujarat HC Clarifies Penalty vs Punishment

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.