Karnataka government has filed a case against Coca-Cola in a court here after its lab tests confirmed the presence of high levels of pesticides in its soft drinks.

Karnataka is the first state to file a case against the company after 'pesticide-in-the-cola' controversy broke out, Health Minister R Ashok told reporters in Bangalore.

Within a few days after clamping a ban on sale of Coke, Pepsi and 11 other soft drinks in the wake of the pesticide row, the case was filed in the Court of Small Causes under relevant provisions of Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, he said.

Ashok said the Coca-Cola drink was sent for test at a "well equipped" private lab in Bangalore and presence of high level of pesticides had been confirmed.

Samples of 12 other soft drinks had also been sent to the laboratory and reports on the level of pesticides was expected in four or five days after which action would be initiated, he said.

"Whether it is a multinational company or an Indian firm, we will take similar action," he said.

Asked if the government would ban manufacture also as Kerala has done, he said the neighbouring state's action would be studied and after consulting legal experts, "we will not hesitate to initiate a similar action."

Ashok said he had visited two hospitals in the city and found that the banned soft drinks were not being sold there. Close on the heels of findings of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which claimed presence of "pesticide cocktail" in soft drinks, Karnataka government banned their sale in its offices and schools, colleges and hospitals.