The Delhi High Court on Friday directed a Noida resident, Deepa Devi, to remove her social media posts alleging presence of a centipede in a tub of Amul ice cream bought by her.
The order came from Justice Manmeet P S Arora where the court restrained the customer from posting and uploading any other identical or similar content on social media platforms until further orders. The order came in the backdrop of a lawsuit filed by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation which markets products under the Amul brand.
Centipede found in Amul ice cream tub
On June 15, taking it to the social media platform, Deepa Devi had shared a picture purportedly showing a centipede inside her Amul ice cream tub that she ordered through an instant delivery app.
Reacting to the accusation, the plaintiff company argued claim to be false and incorrect while asserting that it was absolutely impossible for any foreign substance, let alone an insect, to be present in an ice cream tub packed at its facility.
Amul Ice Cream centipede row: What did Delhi HC say?
In its July 4 order, Delhi High Court observed that the non-cooperation of the customers who have also remained absent in the present proceedings, has given credence to the company's case.
Furthermore, the court noted that the customers were given an opportunity to participate in the court proceedings. However, they "elected not to appear" and also refused to hand over the ice cream tub to the company for the purpose of the investigation.
"The non-appearance of defendant nos. 1 and 2 (Deepa Devi and her husband) evidences their unwillingness to participate in the forensic examination and verification of their claims of the dead insect made in the social media posts uploaded on 15.06.2024," observed the court in an ad interim ex-parte order passed in the case.
"Defendant nos. 1 and 2 are directed to forthwith remove the social media posts uploaded by them on defendant no. 1's Twitter/X account titled @Deepadi11 ..within 3 days," ordered the court.
They are restrained from "posting and uploading any content identical or similar to the said post" on 'X' or any other social media platform including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube until further orders, it said.
They are further restrained from "publishing or causing to publish any content with regard to the plaintiff or plaintiff's product with respect to the incidents referred to in the plaint, anywhere on the internet or in print or electronic media until further orders," it added.
The court clarified that if the defendants fail to take down the social media posts within three days, the company can write to 'X' to delete the same from their platform.
