Zomato Summoned For Alleged 'False Practice' Of Delivering Food From 'Iconic' Restaurants

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New Delhi: A Delhi court has summoned Zomato in response to a civil suit seeking a restraining order against the company. The suit aims to prevent Zomato from allowing users to order "hot and authentic food" from "iconic restaurants" across the national capital.

During the court proceedings, a plea filed by a Gurugram resident alleged that Zomato was involved in a "false and fraudulent" practice. The complaint specifically targeted Zomato's sub-category, 'Dilli ke Legends,' which purportedly delivers fresh food from renowned restaurants. ()

In a recent order, Civil Judge Umesh Kumar stated, "Issue summons of the suit and notice of application." ()

As per the plea, Sourav Mall placed an order on October 24 of the previous year from three different eateries located in Jama Masjid, Kailash Colony, and Jangpura. Subsequently, he tracked the delivery partner and discovered that the order was collected from an "unknown and unnamed" location, rather than from the original restaurants.

"Why was the food picked up from a nearby location when there is no branch of the restaurant partner there? Why is the food not delivered in the original packaging of the restaurant partner? What is the guarantee that the food has been prepared by the restaurant partner? What is the guarantee that the food is prepared fresh and hot?", said the plea.

The plea also highlighted the "inexplicable" nature of Zomato's ability to deliver from Delhi's iconic restaurants to locations in Gurugram and Noida within a 30-minute timeframe. The plea also added, "Such representation to users, customers or patrons of Zomato, is indeed intended to deceive the public at large."

The plea was filed as a "representative suit" on behalf of numerous affected individuals under the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). The case has been scheduled for further proceedings on March 20. (With PTI Inputs)