On June 15, Noida resident Deepa Devi shared a post on the social media platform X (previously known as Twitter) purportedly showing a centipede found in a tub of Amul ice cream she alleged she had ordered through an instant delivery service.
In response, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets products under the Amul brand, filed a lawsuit, challenging the validity of Devi’s claims. Justice Manmeet P. S. Arora, while dealing with this lawsuit, prohibited the customer from posting any similar content on social media platforms until further notice.
Represented by senior advocate Sunil Dalal and lawyer Abhishek Singh, the plaintiff company stated that they were willing to investigate the matter and had even contacted the customers on June 15. However, the customers refused to provide the ice cream tub to the officials.
The plaintiff company highlighted its rigorous quality control processes, from raw milk procurement to the final production stages in their ISO-certified facilities, in court. They argued that these procedures made the presence of any foreign substance, let alone an insect in a sealed tub, virtually impossible. They further suggested that a forensic examination by any government laboratory could effectively ascertain whether the insect was present in the ice cream tub before it was sealed and packed.
What did the Delhi High Court say?
The court was assured that rigorous quality checks guarantee that the product is free from any physical, bacterial, or chemical contamination and that each product complies with the standards established by the Food Safety and Standards Authority.
In an ad interim ex-parte order passed in the case, the court observed the non-appearance of the defendants (Deepa Devi and her husband) and noted that it evidenced their defiance to participate in the forensic examination and verification of their claims of the centipede found in the ice cream tub made in the social media posts uploaded on June 15, 2024. The customers’ lack of cooperation, absence from proceedings, and refusal to hand over the ice cream to the company strengthened the company’s position.
The Delhi High Court directed the removal of the social media posts by Deepa Devi and her husband and restrained them from uploading any content that is identical or similar to the said post on any social media platform, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Additionally, they are prohibited from publishing or facilitating the publication of any content concerning the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s product related to the incidents mentioned in the complaint, on the internet, in print, or electronic media, pending further orders.
Deepa Devi and her husband are required to delete the disputed social media posts within three days, according to a court order. If they do not comply, Amul is authorised to ask the platform ‘X’ to remove the posts.
