Jewellers booked for lapses in weighing scales

Deepavali did not bring cheers to many in the jewellery industry in the state as Legal Metrology Department officials raided and booked 172 cases against jewellers, including some of the biggest players in the market, for violation of laws.

The crackdown was taken up by the department’s divisions in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi and covered almost the entire state on Monday and
Tuesday.

The department went on a drive to inspect the outlets following instructions by the Controller of Legal
Metrology.

In a press release, the department said the jewellery shops were in possession of unverified and non-standard weighing instruments. “Also, the minimum mandatory weights prescribed by the rules with a view to crosscheck the weighing instruments used in the bullion trade transaction were not maintained in the outlets,” it said.

“A total of 700 inspections were conducted and 172 cases have been registered across the state. A compounding fee of Rs 1.3 lakh has been collected and others are yet to be compounded,” the department said in the press
release.