The Food Safety Directorate under the Department of Health & Family Welfare has stepped up enforcement of food safety laws in Nagaland, with the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, Dimapur, convicting a Food Business Operator (FBO) under Section 59(i) of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.

The conviction was recorded on August 4, with the court sentencing the defaulting FBO to simple imprisonment and imposing a fine of ₹1,00,000.

The criminal complaint was filed by the Food Safety Officer (FSO), Dimapur, and the Designated Officer (DO), Dimapur Zone. The State was represented by the Additional Public Prosecutor and Assistant Public Prosecutor of Dimapur.

The Department said the Dimapur judgment follows a similar conviction recorded on March 16, 2026, by the CJM Court, Mokokchung. In that case too, a Food Business Operator was convicted under Section 59(i) of the FSSA, 2006, and sentenced to simple imprisonment and fined ₹1,00,000. The case had been filed by the then FSO, Mokokchung, and the Designated Officer, who is presently the Deputy Commissioner of Food Safety.

The Department described the two judgments as significant steps towards strengthening enforcement of food safety regulations across Nagaland. Several other food safety cases are currently undergoing trial before CJM Courts and Adjudicating Officer/ADC Courts in different districts of the State.

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The Department of Health & Family Welfare said it remains committed to monitoring the quality, hygiene and safety of food products being sold across Nagaland and warned that stringent legal action would continue to be taken against violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

It urged all stakeholders across the food supply chain—including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, home-based manufacturers, cloud kitchens, hotels, restaurants, canteens, cafes, re-packers and retailers—to maintain strict vigilance and comply with food safety requirements.

The Department emphasised that every Food Business Operator has a statutory responsibility to ensure that safe, unadulterated and wholesome food reaches consumers.

Consumers have also been urged to report food safety violations to the respective Food Safety Cells under the offices of the Chief Medical Officers in their respective zones. Complaints can also be lodged online through the Food Safety Connect mobile application developed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which also enables users to verify food business licences.

The Department reiterated that ensuring food safety is a shared civic responsibility and called for greater cooperation from food businesses and consumers to safeguard public health.