Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, against whom a court has ordered registration of an FIR for endorsing Maggi, on Wednesday said he will cooperate with “what the law says” though he hasn’t received any notice in connection with the product that he “stopped promoting” two years ago.
The 72-year-old actor’s name has been dragged into the controversy with current brand ambassador Madhuri Dixit and former face Preity Zinta.
Nestle India has been at the receiving end with several state governments ordering tests following reports of high lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) content in Maggi noodles.
“I have not received any notice. As soon as I get it, I will put it up to my lawyers and we will fully cooperate with what the law says. I would also like to add that I stopped endorsing Maggi two years ago. I don’t endorse Maggi anymore now. That happened two years ago. So, I have not been associated with the product,” Bachchan told reporters at an event in Mumbai.
Earlier, in an interview Bachchan had said that he was always extra cautious in endorsing food items and had a special clause in his contract.
Zinta, who endorsed the brand 12 years ago, took to Twitter to address the controversy for the first time.
“Reading the news about me being sued for doing the Maggie commercial over 12 years ago? 12 years ago? How does that happen?,” she wrote.
Reading the news about me being sued for doing the Maggie commercial over 12 years ago ? 12 years ago ? How does that happen ?
— Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) >June 3, 2015
A probe has been expanded across the country following detection of monosodium glutamate and lead in excess of the prescribed limit in the noodles.
However, Nestle India claimed it has got samples tested in an external laboratory as well as in-house and that the product was found “safe to eat”.
Amitabh may face protest in Odisha on June 5
Kalinga Sena, a local political outfit, on Wednesday announced its decision to oppose the proposed visit of Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan to Odisha scheduled on June 5.
“The activists of Kalinga Sena would stage demonstration against Bachchan from the airport to his proposed meeting venue in the city,” Kalinga Sena chief Hemant Rath told reporters.
