GUNTUR: Mondelez India Foods Private Ltd , the parent company of Cadbury India , was fined by the Consumer Forum of Guntur for supplying bacteria-contaminated chocolates to a consumer. Apart from paying a penalty of Rs 50,000 for causing mental agony, Mondelez has also been ordered to pay Rs 5,000 to the complainant, Darla Anupama.Anupama, a resident of Brodipet, purchased two Cadbury Dairy Milk (roast almond) chocolates from a local shop on July 17, 2016, and the family members found the confectionery bitter when they tasted it and spat it out. Anupama opened the second wafer and was shocked to find mould, which was unpalatable. Anupama lodged a complaint to Mondelez through a mail and attached the relevant photographs. A company representative immediately got in touch with her and urged her not to blow up the issue. He also took the samples of the chocolates.Anupama, however, went ahead and lodged a complaint with the Consumer Forum on August 6 last year, as she felt betrayed and sought a relief of Rs 5 lakh for the mental agony caused to her. The forum summoned both the manufacturer and retailer. The retailer argued that he had no role in the quality of the product as he sold a sealed product and the forum concurred with his version.Advocate for the manufacturer, on the other hand, argued that since the complainant did not deposit samples of the spoilt chocolates , her complaint is not maintainable. At the same time, the company did not deny the fact that the issue had been raised by the complainant on its website and its representative having visited the complainant’s house and taking away the samples. Also, the representative of the company who took the samples did not attend the forum sittings on multiple occasions Taking all this into consideration, the forum, held Mondelez responsible for deficiency in service and directed it to pay Rs 50,000. It also ordered the firm to pay Rs 5,000 towards costs of the complainant and Rs 90 for the cost of two chocolates.