Bombay High Court to hear plea against Maggi ban on June 30

The Bombay High Court on Friday declined any interim relief to Swiss multinational Nestle, which has sought a judicial review of the Indian food safety regulator's order banning its top-selling nine variants of Maggi instant noodles on health issues. It will hear the plea June 30.

The court also issued notice to the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and other respondents and posted the matter for June 30.

Among other things, the Swiss multinational company urged the court to quash the June 5 FSSAI order asking the company to withdraw and recall its Maggi variants from the Indian market - which the company complied with.

It also prayed for setting aside the order of the Maharashtra Commissioner of Food Safety banning the production and sale of Maggi products in the state since last Friday.

The court also recorded Nestle's statement that it is in the process of withdrawing all its packets from retailers and food outlets across the country pursuant to the ban.

The food safety regulator ordered Nestle to withdraw Maggi after some samples were allegedly found to contain higher-than-permissible levels of lead - a premise that was rejected by the company, saying its own independent tests suggested otherwise.