The Legal Metrology Department booked 500 cases against shopkeepers in different bus and railway stations across the State on Friday for fleecing customers by charging excess price than the maximum retail price on food products.
In the capital, 54 cases were booked on shopkeepers in Mahatma Gandhi Bus station, Jubilee Bus station, Hyderabad and Secunderabad railway stations.
Shop owners in bus stations were demanding Rs.32 for a 500 ml soft drink bottle, which had to be sold at Rs.25.
Similarly, they were charging additional Rs.2 on drinking water bottles, said P.S.R.N.T Swamy, Assistant Controller (Hyderabad) Legal Metrology. Those in railway stations were found selling food products such as dry fruits with manipulated maximum retail price labels.
Cases were booked against such traders for violations under different sections of Legal Metrology Act and Andhra Pradesh Legal Metrology Rules, he explained.
Penalties
Authorities levied penalties ranging from Rs.2,000 to Rs.25,000 on the shop owners, besides initiating action as per rules.
Number
Customers can call on the toll free number 1860-425-3333 to lodge any complaints, he added.
Published - January 28, 2012 11:20 am IST
