Businessmen's body opposes FIR against trader

| Updated: Mar 16, 2018, 09:35 IST
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CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) has condemned the move of Chandigarh administration to get an FIR registered against a trader over the issue of anti-profiteering.
As per direction given by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), the local police had lodged an FIR against the owner of a Sector 17-based footwear outlet for not passing benefit to consumers and violating orders passed under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). A case was registered under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

An emergent meeting was held under the chairmanship of president of CBM Anil Vohra along with senior functionaries of the beopar mandal, who demanded withdrawal of the case.


"The local authorities should have issued a warning to the trader before taking such a stern step for a meagre amount," said Vohra. He said if the local authorities fail to meet their demand, the traders will be forced to protest.


The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, on November 10, reduced taxes on more than 170 items following which the administration had issued an order under Section 144 of the CrPC prohibiting the sale of notified commodities without passing the benefits of reduced taxes to consumers. In the order, the administration had termed denial of the benefits of reduction of tax as "unjustified costs" imposed on consumers, which is restricted under Section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.


The SDM directed the police after receiving a complaint from city-based advocate Ajay Jagga accusing Metro Shoes in Sector 17 for violating the order by not passing on the benefit to consumers. Jagga, in his complaint, alleged that he had purchased shoe polish for Rs 99 from the store. Jagga also attached the bill of another outlet which sold the same shoe polish at Rs 91.26, thus showing that the previous outlet did not pass on the benefit.



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