The appellant is the Food Inspector of Cochin Corporation. The appeal is against the order of acquittal of the four accused in C.C. No. 10 of 1977, on the file of the Additional Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Ernakulam.

2. The first accused is a company by name “Suwert and Dholakia Private Ltd.”, represented by its Managing Partner. The second accused is the Managing Partner of the company. The third accused is the Godown Keeper of the first accused company. The fourth accussed is the National Tea Distributors, Willington Island the concern, which is stated to have sold tea to the second accused as per debit notes.

3. The case of the complainant is as follows: On 27th October, 1976 at 9.30 a.m. P.W. 1, Food Inspector, visited the godown of the company situated in Willington Island. He purchased four samples from the stock of tea kept in the godown from the third accused godown keeper. Of the samples taken one was in respect of tea by name “Glen rock”, the second was from “Thankakanam, B.A.P. Tea”, and the third was from “Blended B. P. Tea”. The fourth was from “Rockmound B. P. F. Tea”, the samples were assigned the Nos. 154 to 157. After following the formalities prescri