JUDGMENT

T.R. Handa, J.-In all these five petitions, the petitioners seek the quashing of the criminal proceedings initiated against them and others under Section 7 read with Section 1 6(1) (a)(i) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') at the instance of the Government Food Inspectors and which proceedings are presently pending in different subordinate Courts. The main ground urged in support of all these petitions being the same, it is considered expedient to dispose of all these petitions by this common order.

2. Three of these petitions, namely, Criminal Revision Nos. 78 to 80 of 1979 are at the instance of M/s. Brooke Bond Tea India Limited Calcutta, a Company incorporated under the Indian Companies Act and engaged in the manufacture and sale of tea under the trade name of 'Brooke Bond'. Samples of Brooke Bond tea marketed by this petitioner were taken by the Food Inspectors from the various dealers/vendors who have been impleaded as respondents in these petitions. These samples were of course taken and dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Act and the Rules made thereunder. On being analysed by the Public Analys