PHILADELPHIA — A retail store and two individuals are suing the United States of America for alleged of breach of duty.
Shree Jagannath LLC d/b/a BP Norristown, Venktesh Bhoiwala and Truptiben Bhoiwala filed a complaint on April 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that the defendant wrongfully barred them from in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that the Pennsylvania WIC State Agency disqualified them from WIC and SNAP for three years for allegedly allowing customers to use food stamps to buy food items that were not eligible for purchase under the terms of the two programs.
The plaintiffs deny the charges and claim that they have not committed fraud.
As a result, the plaintiffs allege that their disqualification will place a significant hardship on the local families in the area who participate in the programs and frequently visit the store.
The plaintiffs hold the defendant responsible for allegedly disqualifying them from WIC and SNAP.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek to conduct a judicial review of the three-year disqualification and subsequently enter judgment against the defendant for improperly disqualifying them. The plaintiffs also seek the costs incurred in the suit. They are represented by Ejaz A. Sabir of Sabir Law Group in Upper Darby, Pa. and Andrew Z. Tapp of Metropolitan Law Group PLLC in Brandon, Fla.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 2:18-cv-01422-JHS