Vimal Elaichi moves Delhi HC against FDA notices to brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn

The makers of Vimal Elaichi on Monday approached the Delhi High Court against show-cause notices issued by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration to their brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff, Bar and Bench reported.

The petition sought directions to quash the notices issued to the actors on August 11 in connection with an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi mouth freshener, which the food and drug agency alleged amounted to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, a product banned in the state.

The agency had asked the actors to provide documentary evidence showing that Vimal Elaichi is an independent product available for sale in the market. They had also been directed to immediately stop participating in or endorsing the advertisement and remove the promotional content from their social media accounts, websites and other digital platforms.

The court has reserved its verdict on whether the Delhi High Court has jurisdiction to hear the matter.

PB Agro, the manufacturer of Vimal Elaichi, argued that the food and drug agency’s notice was issued only to the actors and not to the company, even though the company would suffer “irreparable harm” from the action, Bar and Bench reported.

It also contended that the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration had no jurisdiction to direct that the advertisement be taken...

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