CHENNAI: The first bench of the Madras High Court has directed the authorities concerned to inspect all the 22 distilleries in the state and submit a report with regard to the quality of the liquor manufactured by them.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar gave a directive to this effect while passing interim orders on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) from V Sriraman of Mannady, on Friday.
According to petitioner, he and his friends had purchased four 180ml bottles of Ancient Cask Premium Rum, manufactured by Elite Distilleries Pvt. Ltd., in Walajabad in Kanchipuram district and another four 180ml bottles of BACARDI Rum, manufactured by SNJ Distilleries Private Ltd, from a TASMAC shop in Ganesan Avenue, Koyambedu, on March 23. Upon consumption, he and his friends were taken ill with symptoms of unusual dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Suspecting adulteration in the alcohol purchased, he lodged a complaint with the help of his friend Vijay, an advocate, to the Food Safety Department.
On receipt of the complaint, the sample of Ancient Cask Premium XXX Rum was sent to the Food Lab in Thanjavur for analysis by the Food Safety Department on April 10. The analysis report received on June 5 stated that the sample was found to be sub-standard with respect to IS3811-2005.
Following it, he filed the present PIL for a direction to the government and other agencies to take action against the 22 distilleries under the Food Safety and Standards Act and the IPC for manufacturing, bottling and selling spurious/adulterated and sub-standard liquor through the outlets of the TASMAC.