Bug-like substance found in liquor: Distillery, Tasmac outlet fined Rs 5 lakh
VIRUDHUNAGAR: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Srivilliputhur recently slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Tasmac officials and a distillery after a customer filed a complaint stating that he had spotted a bug-like substance floating in the bottle of brandy that he had purchased from a Tasmac shop in Muhavoor village, in 2021.
Both parties have been directed to pay the said fine to the state welfare fund, in addition to Rs 35,120 to the petitioner.
The verdict was passed by president SJ Chakkaravarthy and member M Muthulakshmi based on a petition filed by A Marikannan against the distillery head office in Chennai, manager of the distillery in Pudukkottai, regional manager of Tasmac in Virudhunagar, and manager of the Tasmac shop in Muhavoor.
According to Marikannan's complaint, he had purchased a 180ml quarter bottle of brandy from the Tasmac shop in question for Rs 120, in 2021. He said that he had noticed a bug-like substance floating inside the bottle only after he had returned home. Two days later, he returned to the shop and sought a replacement for the bottle with the same brand, which the respondent refused stating that there was no return policy. This, despite the fact that the bottle's seal was intact.
While hearing the case on Thursday, the commission observed that since the floating fungus/bug inside the bottle is visible to the naked eye, there was no need to send the said liquor bottle to any laboratory for testing. They further noted negligence in preparing the liquor, and observed that the entire batch of alcohol would have been adulterated. Thus, the panel invoked the power to grant punitive damages for selling unsafe product to the petitioner.
The commission directed the respondents to pay Rs 5 lakh to the Tamil Nadu State Welfare Fund as punitive damages. The panel further directed the respondents to return Rs 120 to the petitioner, in addition to Rs 25,000 for causing him mental agony, and Rs 10,000 as litigation expenses within six weeks.