Bangalore, Aug. 28: The Karnataka government today filed two cases against Thums Up and Mirinda, the first instance of a sporadic drive moving beyond the flagship brands of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

State health minister R. Ashok, who had taken Coke to court claiming that melathene higher than “permissible levels” was found in bottles, said some samples were still being tested.

The move against Coke’s Thums Up and Pepsi’s Mirinda followed lab reports that their pesticide content was “way above permissible limits”, Ashok said. He did not disclose the name of the private lab that carried out the tests.

The minister also did not clarify what he meant by “prescribed limits” — the norms are yet to be notified by the Centre. He could have been referring to the draft guidelines.

The cases against Mirinda and Thums Up were filed under the food adulteration act in a court that looks into complaints against companies. Ashok said melathene above “permissible limits” was found in random Mirinda samples.

Kerala had banned the production and distribution of Coke and Pepsi after the pesticide controversy broke. The Left government there spared other soft drinks, though an NGO report had found fault with them. The ban has been challenged in court.

By filing cases against Thums Up and Mirinda, the BJP-partnered government in Karnataka has widened the net.

Mineral water makers, too, have been put under the scanner in the state. Ashok said samples of various brands would be tested.