NGO files criminal case against Nestle officials and brand ambassadors

Bringing fresh trouble to harrowed Nestle India over its Maggi Noodles, a Mumbai-based NGO, Watchdog Foundation, has filed a criminal case against food giant, Nestle India, and its nine directors.

The NGO filed the case in Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Andheri in Mumbai, also naming Maggi brand ambassadors like Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta in the lawsuit.

Nestle is already facing the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) for ''unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements'' and may face financial penalties among other actions.

Clamping down further on Nestle, the government has pulled out millions of packets of Maggie two-minute noodles from stores across the country after the government issued a 15-day ban on the product.

And criminal cases have been filed against Nestle India in Uttar Pradesh and in Bihar where three Bollywood stars featured in advertising have been named in the complaint.

Amitabh Bachchan, India's best known actor, is facing a maximum $20,000 fine despite having last appeared in a Maggi noodles advertisement two years ago.

Also named in the complaint is evergreen Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit, the current brand ambassador, and former actress turned Indian Premier League team owner Preity Zinta, who ­expressed incredulity in a Twitter post this week.