NCDRC notice to Nestle, orders fresh sample testing

The apex consumer court on Monday issued notice to Nestle India Limited on a Rs 640-crore suit against it by the Centre for alleged unfair trade practices and other charges pertaining to Maggi noodles and directed the Government to test the samples afresh at accredited labs. A bench of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission headed by Justice V K Jain admitted the Centre’s plea which also accused the company of false labelling and giving misleading advertisements.

Taking note of Bombay High Court’s August 13 judgement quashing the orders of the Indian food regulators banning the nine variants of instant noodles in the country, the bench directed the Centre to test samples afresh by “accredited labs”. “High Court has quashed your (Centre’s) order on the ground that laboratory were not accredited and recognised....

Second, you did not follow <g data-gr-id="33">correct</g> procedure,” the bench said, adding that “you (Centre) have to satisfy whether you had followed the right procedure” in procuring the reports. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Centre, however, said that there is no prescribed standard as <g data-gr-id="32">such</g> but it is up to the food authority to decide. However, the NCDRC bench said that this practice has been termed by the High Court as arbitrary.

The Centre <g data-gr-id="30">said</g> in this case, the main question was whether the company had been selling products which, as per the “<g data-gr-id="21">temporarious</g> guidelines”, were not right. “As on today, what fresh material do you have to show as the earlier has been rejected by the high court,” the Bench said. It posted the matter for next hearing for September 30.

In its petition, the Centre has sought a direction to the company to deposit Rs 284.55 crore in the Consumer Welfare Fund for defective and hazardous goods sold and unfair trade practice.