HC refuses to entertain plea alleging dead rat inside buttermilk pack

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday refused to entertain a petition alleging a dead rat or piece of chicken was found in a buttermilk tetra pack sold by a dairy company, and said the appropriate forum to raise the grievance was a consumer court.

Justice Rekha Palli nonetheless directed the food safety department to respond to the complaint made by the petitioner-consumer in a time-bound manner.

There was nothing prima facie to show deficiency in services, the Judge said, adding that she was not inclined to adjudicate upon a disputed fact in a writ petition.

"Go to consumer court for compensation. There is a specialised court for this. You are not able to show me anything prima facie. I can't decide anything disputed," the court said.

"In my view, there is nothing prima facie to show that the product was in fact defective. This aspect cannot be decided in a writ petition which is rejected," Justice Palli ordered.

"Dismissal of this petition will not bar the petitioner from approaching the consumer court," the court clarified.