New Delhi: Soft drink major Pepsi today (Dec 16, 2003) withdrew from the Delhi High Court the petition filed by it challenging the controversial report of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that colas in India contained high level of pesticides, saying the matter was being enquired by Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in which it has "full faith".

The petition was declared "dismissed as withdrawn" by Justice B D Ahmed, who on August 11 had directed the Government to perform laboratory tests on the samples of Pepsi's products stating that the issue concerns public health.

However, during the pendency of the petition, a JPC was constituted to probe the issue, and Government received the laboratory tests of the samples.

The inquiry before the JPC is still pending and the concerned parties have been given the opportunity to place before it relevant materials, documents and submissions.

Maintaining that it has "great respect and full faith in the JPC and believes that their submissions will be given due consideration by it", Pepsi in its affidavit said, "In view of the developments that have taken place since filing of the petition, it would be in the interest of justice that the petitioners (Pepsi) present their case before the JPC."

The soft drink major said under such circumstances it would be appropriate to withdraw the petition and to seek liberty to approach this court as and when the need arises and none of the respondent would be prejudiced.

PTI