Maggi controversy: Bihar court orders FIR against Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta

In the wake of UP FSDA finding monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the instant noodles, a court in Bihar on Tuesday ordered an FIR against the Maggi brand ambassadors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta. [caption id=“attachment_2274688” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] An FIR has been filed against Madhuri Dixit for endorsing Maggi. Image Courtesy: Youtube[/caption] Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ramchandra Prasad directed Kazi Mohammadpur Police Station to register the FIR and investigate the complaint. The court also directed the police to make arrests if required in the course of investigation. The order came during the hearing of a case filed by lawyer Sudhir Kumar Ojha yesterday. The petition had named Managing Director of Nestle Mohan Gupta, its Joint Director Sabab Alam and the three film stars Amitabh, Madhuri and Preity, who have featured in Maggi ads at different times. The complainant claimed that he purchased Maggi from a shop at Lenin chowk of Muzaffarpur on May 30 and that he was taken ill after he ate it. This prompted him to file a case against Nestle, the maker of the noodles and the film stars who are the product’s brand ambassadors. The case has been filed under IPC sections 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 276 (sale of drug as a different drug or preparation) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty). The government on Monday had said Maggi brand ambassadors will also be liable for action if the advertisements for the snack are found to be misleading. G. Gurucharan, Additional Secretary (Consumer Affairs) had said everybody associated with the “misleading ad” put out on the nutritive value of Maggi Noodles was liable for action under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), but that the final decision will be taken by the courts. According to Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, everybody associated with the “misleading ad” put out on the nutritive value of Maggi Noodles was liable for action under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). “FSSAI has taken up the case, it will take action. We have already written to the FSSAI,” Paswan had told reporters. Reacting to the news about the FIR against the brand ambassadors, author Chetan Bhagat tweeted on his endorsement of Shaadi.com.

Brand ambassadors responsible for their products? Ok so @shaadidotcom is just a website. Making your shaadi work is your responsibility!

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 2, 2015

Last week, a case had been lodged against Nestle India by UP food regulator FSDA in a local court at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh over safety standards of its Maggi, while actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta were also separately dragged to court for promoting the ’two-minute’ noodles brand. On 30 May, Madhuri Dixit, who endorses the Maggi brand, had tweeted that concerned over the reports, she had met the manufacturers and had said they had assured her that there would be no compromise on the quality of popular snack.

Like most of India, I have enjoyed Maggi noodles for years. I was very concerned after recent reports and met with the Nestle team (1/3).

— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) May 30, 2015

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Nestle explained that they always place the consumer first and have the highest quality standards. (2/3)

— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) May 30, 2015

Nestle has reassured me that they adhere to stringent testing for quality and safety and are working with the authorities closely.

— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) May 30, 2015

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(With inputs from PTI)