Mumbai: Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has approached the Bombay High Court challenging a show-cause notice issued by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over his appearance in ‘Vimal Elaichi’ advertisements, describing the agency’s action as arbitrary.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna is likely to hear Devgn’s petition on November 4.
According to the notice issued by the FDA, the advertisements for ‘Vimal Elaichi’ amount to surrogate promotion of ‘Vimal Pan Masala’, a chewable product banned in Maharashtra.
Similar notices were issued to actors Shah Rukh Khan and Tiger Shroff, who also appeared in the advertisements.
In his petition, Devgn stated that the notice was arbitrarily issued to him as an actor instead of being directed at the manufacturing company. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said on Friday that proceedings against Khan, Devgn and Shroff for allegedly violating state rules had been completed.
The department had concluded its investigation and found violations by the actors, he said, adding that the matter would be referred for adjudication next week. Mundhe said that although Devgn had approached the High Court, the department would continue its proceedings before the joint commissioner.
The FDA had earlier claimed that the ‘Vimal Elaichi’ campaign amounted to surrogate advertising for prohibited pan masala products. The department had alleged that the brand was linked to the sale of gutkha and pan masala, products prohibited in Maharashtra.
