Indian-Origin Newsstand Operator In US Hit With Over Rs 76 Lakh In Fines
NDTV
The city slapped Sadik Topia, an Indian immigrant from Gujarat, with a staggering $92,000 (over Rs 76 lakh) in fines, citing various violations and closed his kiosk on November 7.
A 59-year-old Indian-origin man in New York is selling papers like an old-school newsboy after the city slapped him with fines and shuttered the newsstand he has operated for 23 years. According to the New York Post, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) slapped Sadik Topia, an Indian immigrant from Gujarat, with a staggering $92,000 (over Rs 76 lakh) in fines, citing various violations and closed his kiosk on West 79th Street and Broadway on November 7. "The city says they support community, small businesses and the economy - but they're killing me," Mr Topia told the outlet.
According to the Post, the 59-year-old faces a fine for allegedly selling e-cigarette products without a valid license, improper shelves in the newsstand and violating city rules by selling phone chargers for $30 instead of the allowed amount of less than $10.
Mr Topia has been fined $58,400 for selling e-cigarettes after his licence expired in December 2021. He was fined $100 per day for 584 days - between the day his license expired and July 12, 2023, when there was a hearing about the violation. He also owes $34,000 for having improper shelves in the kiosk and selling a phone charger for $30 despite the city's $10 limit.
