'Only in India we are liberal with health concerns', says SC on bail plea in food adulteration case
New Delhi: Only in India we are liberal with the health concerns, the Supreme Court observed while refusing 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 M R 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On the prayer of Christi Jain, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed as withdrawn, the bench noted in its order on Tuesday.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.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
