The Dhara oil sample was taken last year after 56 people died of dropsy caused by the ingestion of contaminated mustard oil. The sample was taken from the stock of a South-Delhi based vendor.

While issuing summons to the NDDB (the oil manufacturer) and Gujarat Co-operative Milk and Marketing Federation officials (distributor of the double-filtered mustard oil), Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Manoj Jain also summoned the vendor, Babu Lal. His shop is located in Bapa Nagar.

Prevention of Food Adulteration department's food inspector purchased three litres of oil from Lal's shop. Prem Nath Khatri bought the sample on August 29, last year after the dropsy deaths. The samples were tested for the presence of argemone. After the tests came out positive, the PFA department send the samples to the Central Food Laboratory in Calcutta for a second opinion. In the meantime, a sessions court granted Lal interim bail. The PFA department, however, went on to file a chargesheet against him.