The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to a resident of Noida to delete her social media posts alleging she discovered a centipede in a tub of Amul ice cream she purchased. Justice Manmeet P S Arora, presiding over a case brought by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets Amul products, has also prohibited the customer from posting similar content on social media until further notice.
In her post on platform ‘X’ dated June 15, Deepa Devi shared a photo supposedly showing a centipede inside her Amul ice cream tub, ordered via an instant delivery app. The court was presented with the plaintiff company’s argument that the claim was baseless, emphasizing that no foreign substance, particularly an insect, could realistically be found in ice cream packed at its facility.
In an order issued on July 4, the court noted the absence of the customers, Deepa Devi and her husband, in the proceedings, strengthening the company’s position. The court observed their reluctance to participate in forensic examinations or provide the ice cream tub for investigation, casting doubt on their claims made in the social media post.
“The court directs defendants no. 1 and 2 to promptly remove the social media posts on platform ‘X’ titled @Deepadi11 within 3 days,” ordered the court. It further restrained them from posting or uploading any similar content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube until further notice. Additionally, they are prohibited from publishing any content related to the plaintiff or its products concerning the incidents described in the complaint, online or in print media.
The court specified that if the defendants fail to remove the posts within the stipulated time, the plaintiff may request ‘X’ to delete them from their platform. Represented by senior advocate Sunil Dalal and lawyer Abhishek Singh, the plaintiff company reiterated its willingness to investigate the matter but highlighted the customers’ refusal to cooperate in providing the ice cream tub for inspection.
The plaintiff emphasized stringent quality controls from milk procurement to ice cream production, ensuring conformity with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulations. They proposed a forensic examination by a government laboratory to ascertain the presence of the insect before sealing the ice cream tub.