09/12/09: First lawsuit in China milk scandal delayed

China’s first civil lawsuit seeking compensation over last year’s tainted milk scandal has been delayed for further investigation, state-run media reported Wednesday.

A district court in Beijing late last month began hearing a case filed by Ma Xuexin, whose 20-month-old son developed kidney stones after drinking the poisoned milk, the China Daily said.

The case against now-bankrupt dairy producer Sanlu Group and a Beijing supermarket was delayed after the defendants requested further investigation into the link between the child’s illness and the tainted milk, it said.

Ma is reportedly suing Sanlu, the dairy firm at the centre of the scandal, and the supermarket where he bought the milk, for a total of 55,184 yuan (8,083 dollars).

“The tainted formula made my son sick. This is the truth. They are just quibbling,” the paper quoted Ma as saying.

But it said that no money was left for such compensation because of Sanlu’s bankruptcy.

A total of 21 people have been convicted for their roles in the scandal. Two men were executed last month, while former Sanlu boss Tian Wenhua has been sentenced to life in prison.

At least six infants died and nearly 300,000 were made sick by milk powder contaminated by the industrial chemical melamine, added to milk supplies to give the appearance of a higher protein content.