Ajay Devgn Moves Bombay High Court Against Maharashtra FDA Notice Over Vimal Elaichi Surrogate Advertising

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has approached the Bombay High Court challenging a Maharashtra FDA show-cause notice over his endorsement of ‘Vimal Elaichi’, with the regulator alleging that the advertisements indirectly promote banned ‘Vimal Pan Masala’ in the state.

Bombay High Court Likely To Hear Petition On November 4

The petition is expected to come up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice MC Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna on November 4.

The FDA had issued notices alleging that advertisements promoting ‘Vimal Elaichi’ were a form of surrogate advertising for ‘Vimal Pan Masala’, a chewable product prohibited in Maharashtra. Similar notices were also issued to fellow brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan and Tiger Shroff.

Actor Questions Constitutional Validity Of FDA Provisions

In his plea, Devgn has questioned the constitutional validity of the provisions under which the notices were issued. He has also contended that the FDA wrongly targeted him in his capacity as an actor instead of proceeding against the manufacturer of the product.

The controversy had earlier reached the Delhi High Court, where the manufacturer, PB Agro, filed a petition in August seeking to have the notices set aside. However, the court dismissed the plea on the ground that it lacked territorial jurisdiction.

The Delhi High Court observed that the matter arose from action taken by the Maharashtra FDA in connection with alleged activities within the state and, therefore, the appropriate forum to challenge the notices was a court in Maharashtra.

After the dismissal of the manufacturer’s plea, Devgn has now approached the Bombay HC.

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