CHARANJI LAL vs STATE OF PUNJAB

The Supreme Court interpreted the term 'damaged' in the context of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, specifically under the proviso to sub-section (2C) of section 13. The Court held that 'damaged' includes any form of damage, including decomposition, occurring before or after a court order for sample dispatch. The Court partly allowed the appeal, affirming that loss or damage is not confined to the period after actual dispatch, and overruled previous decisions that restricted this interpretation.