GUWAHATI: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted a search and seizure operation at a jewellery shop in Guwahati on Wednesday, July 29, after receiving complaints of alleged misuse of the BIS hallmark.
Officials from the BIS Guwahati Branch Office raided M/s Roy Gahanalaya, located at Aziz Complex on S.C. Goswami Road in Pan Bazaar, during an enforcement drive. Preliminary investigations revealed that the shop was allegedly selling gold jewellery bearing fake BIS hallmarks.
According to BIS, the sale of jewellery with counterfeit hallmarks is a serious offence under the BIS Act, 2016. Gold jewellery is covered under the Government of India's mandatory hallmarking scheme in notified districts to ensure purity and protect consumer interests.
A genuine BIS hallmark comprises the BIS logo, the purity mark, and a unique six-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) code, which consumers can verify using the BIS Care mobile application.
The Bureau has initiated legal action against the alleged offenders under Sections 14(2) and 15(3) of the BIS Act, 2016. Violations are punishable with imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of not less than ₹1 lakh, which may extend to five times the value of the goods involved, or both.
BIS said it regularly carries out search and seizure operations based on complaints or intelligence regarding violations of the BIS Act to curb the misuse of hallmarks and safeguard consumer interests.