The Supreme Court today observed that "Only in India we are liberal with the health concerns," as it refused to entertain pre-arrest bail pleas of two Madhya Pradesh-based businessmen who are accused in a food adulteration case.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and MR Shah was hearing the anticipatory bail applications of Prawar Goyal and Vineet Goyal of Neemuch district in Madhya Pradesh.
Hearing appeals against dismissal of their pre-arrest bail pleas by the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Indore, the bench was told by lawyer Puneet Jain that penal provisions relating to offence of food adulteration are bailable ones and hence, they deserved anticipatory bail.
"Only in India we are liberal with health concerns," Justice Shah said, adding, "Mr Jain, answer this. Will you eat this adulterated wheat".
As the bench was disinclined to consider the anticipatory bail plea, the lawyer decided to withdraw the same.
"On the prayer of Christi Jain, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed as withdrawn," the bench noted in its order on Tuesday.
Besides the offence of cheating, the accused have been booked under section 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the IPC which provides for maximum jail term of six months or maximum fine of Rs 1,000 or both.
As per the FIR lodged by the Food Safety department, the businessmen have been accused of using of "non-edible golden offset colour" for polishing wheat at the premises of Darshil Agro Industries situated in Village Kanawati at Neemuch.
In the raid conducted on December 3, 2020, the Food Safety Officer of Neemuch seized a 1,20,620 kg of "sub-standard and misbranded polished wheat" valued at Rs 27.74 lakh.
The high court had on March 12 rejected the pre-arrest bail plea of the accused saying that the allegations were serious in nature.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
As Supreme Court Dealt With Pollution, Punjab Recorded Highest Farm Fire Count Supreme Court Asks About Delhi Construction Ban. Lawyer's Reply Stuns Judge Delhi Chokes, Supreme Court Flags "Wrong Approach" In Enforcing GRAP Curbs Late Flight, Emergency Landing, Stuck For 3 Days: Indian Fliers' Nightmare Explained: Why Delhi's AQI Was 494 Today But International Monitor Said 1,600 Putin Responds To Biden's Missile Approval By Changing Nuclear Doctrine Tamil Nadu To Use AI Alerts To Protect Wild Elephants From Railway Tracks Can't Present Award In MS Subbulakshmi's Name To TM Krishna: Court SSC Released Exam Dates For CGL Tier-II, GD Constable, And Stenographer Skill Test Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.