Licenses revoked for five jewellery shops in Odisha over counterfeit gold

Bhubaneswar, Dec 11: Action has been initiated against five jewelry establishments over the past two years for selling substandard gold, as stated by Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra during the Odisha Assembly session on Wednesday.

In response to a query from MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray, the Minister explained that these discrepancies were uncovered by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The case involving Ambika Jewellers in Kuchinda, Sambalpur, is currently under judicial review. Meanwhile, the licenses of several other jewelry shops, including Rajashree Jewellers in Kujang, Suna Ebang Chandi on Grand Road in Puri, Alankar Jewellers in Sambalpur, and Radhakant Jewellers in Barapali, Bargarh, have been revoked for selling counterfeit gold.

During the fiscal year 2022-23, six jewelry shops faced legal action for faulty weighing machines, resulting in fines totaling ₹23,500. A similar number of cases were recorded in 2023-24, leading to fines of ₹1.55 lakh. As of December 2025, four additional cases have emerged, accumulating fines of ₹48,000.

Patra highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to combat such illegal activities, noting that 72 laboratories across the state are conducting inspections of weighing devices used in jewelry shops, supervised by assistant controllers and inspectors. He emphasized that electronic weighing machines and measuring instruments are regularly certified to ensure compliance.

Additionally, the government conducts surprise inspections of jewelry outlets, enforcing legal actions and imposing fines when necessary. A proposal is also under consideration to establish a state-level task force aimed at addressing irregularities in measurements and weights.