To which, the bench said, “How can you tell that. Have you tested the milk? Have you certified the milk? Have you communicated it to the government? Just making reels on Instagram.”

Dr Padma’s counsel said she had also tendered an apology.

Thereafter, issuing notices to the police, Justice Nagaprasanna said, “No stay. I will permit further investigation in this case.”

The Malleswaram police had registered a case against Dr Padma based on a complaint filed by a Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) employee under Section 353(1)(b) (statements conducting to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act.

KMF sells milk and other products under the Nandini brand.

Dr Padma had allegedly claimed in reels that Nandini products, like the strawberry-flavoured milk, do not contain natural strawberries and are prepared using artificial colours and preservatives, thereby making them unfit for consumption.

KMF had posted a statement on its Instagram page stating, “It has come to our attention that baseless and false allegations have been made against (a) few Nandini products using Instagram & other social media platforms projecting Nandini products as unsafe for consumption which is causing unnecessary panic and confusion among our crores of consumers who have grown up with Nandini Brand right from their childhood.”

The company claimed it was following safe and approved methods framed by statutory bodies and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.