Allowing the plea from Nestle, the Bombay High Court has set aside the ban order imposed by the Indian food regulatory -Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on its Maggi noodles. In its judgment the Bombay High Court comprising Justices VM Kanade and BP Colabawalla directed the FSSAI to test five samples of Maggi noodles in three labs in Hyderabad, Mohali and Jaipur accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Reacting the judgment Neslte India in a statement said that it will respect the decision made on by the Bombay High Court to revoke the ban order passed by FSSAI and the FDA, Maharashtra on Maggi Noodles and will comply with the order to undertake fresh tests. It further said that it remains committed to working with the FSSAI, FDA Maharashtra and other stakeholders.
Informing the BSE with reference to writ petition the company in a statement said, “It is our endeavour to get Maggi Noodles back on the shelves as soon as possible for the benefit of our consumers. The trust of our consumers and safety of our products are our outmost priorities across all the markets in which we operate.”
However, on August 12, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has filed a complaint under section 12(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). The Department has filed this class action suit on behalf of the large number of consumers of Maggi in the country against Nestle India on grounds of unfair trade practices, sale of defective goods and sale of Maggi Oats Noodles to the public without product approval.
The complainant has sought a sum of Rs 284.55 crore that the opponent company is liable to pay and a sum of Rs. 355.407 crore as punitive damages on account of the gross negligence, apathy and callousness on the part of the Opponent Company. Thus, the total claim is for a Sum of Rs.639.957 crore.