Milk adulteration case put off to Friday

Justice C V Karthikeyan before whom the arguments prevailed adjourned the case to further hearing to Friday.

When the arguments in the case commenced on Wednesday, senior counsel P S Raman appearing for one of the private players, said the dairy minister had come up with the allegation of private players mixing chemicals like Formaldehyde and other cancer-causing substances at a press conference on May 25, which was widely reported in the media. But now, even by their own admission, facts have emerged that the milk samples for subjecting them to test were taken only on May 28 clearly revealing that the allegations had come about without any proof in hand.

Raman also noted that even the check was not done as per the norms laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Act. He said the check claiming that the milk was contaminated had emerged from the state-run lab, which as a matter of policy is meant only for checking Aavin milk.

The suits moved by Hatsun Agro Product Limited, Dodla Dairy Limited and Vijay Dairy and Farm Products Private Limited have sought for a compensation of Rs one crore each from the minister for ruining their reputation through false allegation. It may be noted that on July 10, Justice C V Karthikeyan passed an interim order directing the minister not to issue any press statements indirectly or directly disparaging privately manufactured dairy products.