SC Revives Government Case against Nestle over Lead & MSG Content in Maggi Noodles

The Supreme Court has lifted a stay on the proceedings in a class-suit filed by the Centre against the Nestle over the alleged presence of lead and MSG or monosodium glutamate in Maggi noodles.  

The case was filed against Nestle India in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).  

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said the report of CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru), where the testing of the samples of Maggi was done, would form the basis for the proceedings. 

The Centre had moved the top consumer forum, the NCDRC alleging unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements by Swiss food giant Nestlé. The Centre sought compensation of Rs 640 crore. 

The Consumer Affairs Ministry in 2015 had filed a complaint against Nestle India before the NCDRC using a provision in the nearly three-decade-old Consumer Protection Act. 

The Supreme Court had then also directed that the samples of Maggi noodles would be tested at the Central Food Technological Research Institute or the CFTRI in Mysore. The NCDRC had directed the samples to be tested at a Chennai lab. 

The Centre said that it should be allowed to argue its case at the NCDRC. The Nestle, on the other hand, wanted the Supreme Court to dispose of the matter saying that the Mysore lab report was in its favour.