Dehradun/Mussoorie, March 31 -- A food joint owner in Uttarkashi was slapped a Rs.1 lakh fine for allegedly spitting in food in October 2025, officials aware of the matter said on Monday, adding that a total penalty of Rs.13 lakh has been imposed in five separate cases by the court of the adjudicating officer and additional district magistrate, Mukta Mishra. According to officials, the incident was reported at Zayka restaurant in Uttarkashi market, where vendor Shahbaz Khan was accused of spitting on a roti while it was being prepared. In October, Uttarkashi police booked him after a video of the incident went viral on social media, triggering protests by locals and members of Hindu organisations, who demanded strict action against the accused. An FIR was registered under sections 196(1)(a) and 196(1)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which relate to promoting enmity and disturbing public harmony, and section 274, which pertains to adulteration of food or drink intended for sale, at Uttarkashi police station. ADM Mukta Mishra confirmed the development and said that a penalty of Rs.1 lakh was imposed on the vendor. In other cases, fines of Rs.3 lakh each were imposed on four companies for selling substandard food products. In the first case, a sample of Paras paneer collected in March 2022 from a vehicle at Barthi bypass was found to have low fat content and was declared substandard. A case was filed in July 2022, and a Rs.3 lakh penalty was imposed on Ghaziabad-based VRS Foods Limited. In the second case, a sample of King's refined oil collected from Naugaon in March 2021 was found to have high acid value. A case was filed in March 2022, and a Rs.3 lakh fine was imposed on Gujarat-based Adani Wilmar. In the third case, a sample of Day Lite mustard oil collected from a shop in Gyansu in March 2023 was declared substandard in June 2023 for not meeting prescribed standards. The adjudicating officer imposed a Rs.3 lakh penalty on Agra-based Tapan Agro Industrial Company....