SC stays NCDRC proceedings in Maggi case, directs testing of samples at CFTRI

The supreme Court today stayed the proceedings in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in a class action suit filed by the central government against Nestle India Ltd and directed that the controversial instant food `Maggi' be tested at the central laboratory instead of a regional lab.

The bench of justices Dipak Misra and P C Pant directed that Nestle's Maggi noodles sample, which NCDRC had directed to be tested at a Chennai laboratory, will now be tested at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore.

"It is directed that the Local Commissioner, appointed by the NCDRC, shall send samples earlier collected by him to the Mysore laboratory for tests.

"The test reports, including earlier ones, shall be produced before this court. In the meantime, the NCDRC shall not proceed," a bench of justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant said.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Maggi manufacturer Nestle India Ltd and attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, representing the centre, agreed that the samples be sent for testing to the Mysore lab instead of Chennai as asked for by the NCDRC.

The case will now come up for hearing on 13 January, next year along with an appeal filed by the FSSAI against the Bombay high court order lifting the ban on Maggi noodles in August, this year.

NRDC had, on 10 December this year, ordered testing of 16 samples of Maggi at a Chennai laboratory after the central government moved the top consumer forum alleging various violations like unfair trade, false labeling and misleading advertisements by Nestle and sought compensation of Rs640 crore.

Nestle then moved the Supreme Court and the apex court had on Tuesday sought the centre's response to a plea of Nestle India Ltd against the NRDC order order for testing of 16 more samples of Maggi noodles in connection with the government's Rs640 crore suit against the company for alleged unfair trade practices.

(Also see: Nestle India sells 33 mn packs of Maggi in 10 days as govt's Rs640-cr suit drags)