In a unique decision, the Jammu & Kashmir High Court on Monday ordered owners of three food and spice companies to pay Rs 10 crore each to a premier Government-run medical institute following reports that their products were found adulterated in laboratory tests.
Though the amount has not been referred to as “fine”, the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, a J&K equivalent of All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been directed to create a separate account for the money till further orders.
The owners of Khyber and Kanwal Industries besides the Delhi-based Avon Agro Industries have been directed to deposit the money by the division bench comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Tashi Rabstan. They have directed to seize the adulterated products from the market and from the premises of these companies.Traders in the state have been directed not to sell any of these products.
Besides, the court has directed the Government to give wide publicity in the print and electronic media about these adulterated products so that people stop using them.