Reselling expired food products with fresh labels is ‘calculated assault on public health’: Karnataka High Court
The court refuses to quash the criminal case against the food recycling firm for allegedly reselling expired food items with a new label of a fresh expiry date
The High Court of Karnataka has ruled that the reselling of expired food products with new labels constitutes a "calculated assault on public health" and refused to dismiss a criminal case against Earth Recycler Pvt. Ltd. The court emphasized that replacing or altering an expiry date label and reintroducing the product into the market deceives consumers, putting their health at risk.
The court dismissed the petition filed by the firm and its representatives, Aamir Ahmed Chuna, Mohammed Dawood S., and Abdul Kadhir Kalathoor, arguing that the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSS Act) applies even to cases involving expired food products. The court stated that the allegations against the petitioners fall under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating and public mischief, as they faced no legal issues for merely storing expired food items.
The court also highlighted the importance of a thorough investigation by competent authorities under the FSS Act to ensure consumer safety and protect public health.
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