Karnataka HC orders official of Central govt. to inspect jaggery factory that was closed allegedly due to influence of State Minister who owns sugar factory

The High Court of Karnataka, noting allegations that a private jaggery factory’s closure was influenced by a current Cabinet Minister who is also a director in a private sugary factory, restrained officials of the State government in interfering in the affairs of the jaggery factory till further orders.

While staying the State government’s November 15 order for closing down the jaggery factory, M/s Shree Brahmananda Sagar Jaggery Industries (SBSJI), Belagavi, the court directed the Chief Director of Sugar, Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to hold a complete inspection of SBSJI and its associate company, M/s Askins Biofuels Private Limited (ABPL), on November 28.

Submit report

The Chief Sugar Director has been directed to submit a comprehensive inspection report to the court on or by December 9 on what is being manufactured by the petitioner and their associate company as on the date of inspection, and not what they are intending to manufacture in future.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the interim order on a petition filed by SBSJI challenging the closure order, which was issued on the allegations that the petitioner is manufacturing brown sugar though it has a licence to manufacture only jaggery.

No official

The court also said that no official of the State government should be be involved in the inspection by the Chief Director of Sugar.

The State government, citing reports from its officials, claimed that prima facie the petitioner factory was manufacturing brown sugar through vacuum fan process which is contrary to the Sugar Control Order.

However, it was alleged in the petition that the happenings and the projection of illegality against it was owing to the main director of Alagawadi Bireshwara Sugars Private Limited, who is a Minister in the present government, and therefore the officers of the State are acting at the behest of the Minister, who is influencing the officers.

Meanwhile, the court said that the State government could not have flexed its muscles when a dispute between Askins BPL and Alagawadi BSPL is pending adjudication before a Division Bench.