Dimapur CJM Court convicts a food business operator under the Food Safety and Standards Act and imposes simple imprisonment and a INR1 lakh penalty.
DIMAPUR — The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Dimapur, on August 4 convicted a Food Business Operator (FBO) under Section 59(i) of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, and sentenced the offender to simple imprisonment along with a penalty of INR 1 lakh.
The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Food Safety, stated this in a public awareness notice, describing the conviction as another significant step towards strengthening enforcement of food safety laws in Nagaland.
The criminal complaint was filed by the Food Safety Officer (FSO), Dimapur, and the Designated Officer (DO), Dimapur Zone.
The State was represented by the Additional Public Prosecutor and Assistant Public Prosecutor, Dimapur.
The department noted that the latest conviction follows a similar case decided by the CJM Court, Mokokchung, on March 16, 2026.
In that case, an FBO was convicted under Section 59(i) of the FSSA, 2006, and sentenced to simple imprisonment and a fine of INR 1 lakh.
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The Mokokchung case was filed by the then FSO of Mokokchung and the Designated Officer, who is presently the Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety.
According to the department, the two judgments mark a significant step forward in strengthening the enforcement mechanism for food safety regulations across Nagaland.
Several food safety cases are presently under trial before CJM Courts and adjudicating officer (AO/ADC) courts in various districts of the State.
The Health & Family Welfare department stated that it remains committed to monitoring the quality, hygiene and safety of food products sold across Nagaland and will continue to take stringent legal action against violations of the FSSA, 2006.
It urged all stakeholders in the food supply chain—including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, home-based manufacturers, cloud kitchens, hotels, restaurants, canteens, cafes, repackers and retailers—to maintain strict vigilance and ensure compliance with food safety regulations.
The department emphasised that it is the statutory duty of every FBO to ensure that safe, unadulterated and wholesome food reaches consumers.
Consumers have also been encouraged to lodge formal complaints regarding food safety discrepancies with the respective Food Safety Cells under the offices of the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) in their respective zones.
They may also use the “Food Safety Connect” mobile application developed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to report food safety issues online and verify food business licences.
The department reiterated that maintaining food safety is a shared civic responsibility and called upon all stakeholders and consumers to contribute towards ensuring safe food practices across the State.