Monsanto India country director Terry Bunn said, "We categorically state that Monsanto is in no way involved in this unfortunate tragedy. We are saddened that a tragedy involving the lives of so many people should have been misused by some interested groups to push their own agenda and divert attention from the main issue -- adulteration of edible oil."

Monsanto does not trade in or import soyabeans into the country, a company release said. "Monsanto is not a grain or commodity trader and hence has no interest in the status of oilseed imports in India," he said.

On the new gene protection technology, dubbed by certain groups as the Terminator gene, the company said this is only a concept for which Delta & Pine Land Co, USA and the USDA have got a joint prophetic patent, which reallymeans a conceptual patent. This is expected to take several years to develop and is aimed at developing a process that would provide gene protection in plants.