FDA issues notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff over Vimal ad
Maharashtra FDA has sent show-cause notices to the three actors over their Vimal Elaichi advertisement, official Tukaram Mundhe warns of legal action
Tukaram Mundhe, the Food and Drug Administration official who has been in the news in recent months for raids across various locations, has now directly targeted big names from Bollywood. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued a show-cause notice to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. The notice was sent over an advertisement for Vimal Elaichi that the three had done together, causing a major stir.
Since becoming a Food and Drug Administration official, Mundhe has carried out several enforcement actions. His action against milk adulteration rattled those involved, and action was also taken against several eateries. In the same series, action was also taken against the canteen at the state secretariat. It is against this backdrop that the Vimal Elaichi advertisement case has now come to light.
After issuing the notice to the three actors, Mundhe made a clear statement. He said that these artistes may be superstars for the public, but for him they are merely advertisers and are violators of the law. Since they are violating the law, legal action will be taken against them, Mundhe said.
There has so far been no response from any of the three actors to the notice issued by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration. None of the three has issued any clarification on the matter yet. According to the administration, pan masala is actually being sold covertly under the Vimal and Elaichi name, and it is this that is being advertised. The three actors have been given 15 days to respond.
Pan masala, gutkha and tobacco are completely banned in Maharashtra, a ban that was put in place in 2012. The Food and Drug Administration has argued that although the product is different, its branding could indirectly link it to the pan masala brand. On this basis, the FDA had issued the notice to the three actors on 11 August. Attention is now on what steps the FDA takes next.
Mundhe said the food safety law clearly underlines the responsibility of the advertiser and of the person or organisation endorsing the advertisement. He said it is the responsibility of the person endorsing a product to exercise due caution about what is being advertised, and it is wrong to say one has no responsibility in the matter. Mundhe noted that he was speaking not only from a moral standpoint but also from a legal one.
