The Department of Supply Management (DoSM) has begun legal proceedings against ABT Mart and Classic Mart at Tribhuvan International Airport and Fashion Flow at Maharajgunj for overcharging customers.

It has written to the District Administrative Office (DAO), Kathmandu recommending action against these firms under Black-Marketing and Some Other Social Offences Act 1975. Two months ago, the department had booked these outlets and six other shops for their involvement in anomalies. Likewise, Bhat Bhateni Food Products, a supplier of food items to Bhat Bhateni Super Market; Siddhibinayak Khaddya Store at Tinthana; Saleways Cash and Carry, and Fashion Flow at Maharajgunj; Big Mart’s Kalopool outlet; and Non-Stop 365 and Organic Kitchen Mart at Nayabazaar were also found selling substandard products and charging exorbitant prices during market monitoring.

These outlets were caught during the market inspections that the government had carried out following Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s orders to take immediate action against those involved in black marketeering and fraudulent pricing.

Bhat Bhateni Food Products had been repackaging date expired products. Bhat Bhateni is one of the popular departmental store chains and serves more than 40,000 customers daily. It maintains 12 outlets across the country.

Ramesh Kaji Shrestha, officer at the DoSM, said they had forwarded the case to the DAO after receiving the green signal from the Ministry of Supplies to take legal action. “The department has been told to take whatever action it sees fit against the other six outlets,” he said.

According to Shrestha, the department will be filing a case under Consumer Protection Act 1998. “We are preparing the charge sheets against the six firms to file a case at the Kathmandu District Court,” he said. As per Consumer Protection Act 1998, anyone selling substandard products or engaging in black marketeering faces a Rs50,000 fine or three years’ imprisonment or both.