Shop owner acquitted of charges of possessing gutkha

Thane: A local court has acquitted a 26-year-old shop owner from Mumbra near here of the charge of possessing gutkha which is banned in Maharashtra.

District and Additional Sessions Judge AS Bhaisare, in his recent order, held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge against Nadim Suhel Ahmed Shaikh who was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Public Prosecutor Sangita Phad informed the court that on January 28, 2015, police personnel and sleuths of Food and Drugs Administration raided the shop owned by Shaikh and allegedly seized from his possession banned goods, including Goa Gutka 1000 and Vimal panmasala.

After hearing the prosecution and defence, the Judge acquitted Shaikh of all the charges.