Mumbai: Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has described actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff as alleged law violators in connection with a Vimal Elaichi advertisement, stressing that celebrity status does not exempt them from legal responsibility.
The FDA issued show-cause notices to the three actors on August 11, alleging that the advertisement amounted to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, a product prohibited in Maharashtra. The actors were given 15 days to respond.
According to Mundhe, two of the three actors have replied to the notices, while proceedings for adjudication and prosecution have begun against the actor who has not responded. He did not disclose the names of those who replied.
The actors who responded reportedly argued that responsibility for the advertisement rested with the manufacturer. However, Mundhe rejected the claim that endorsers have no legal obligations regarding the products they promote.
He referred to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, stating that advertising rules place specific responsibilities on individuals and organisations promoting products. He added that endorsers are expected to exercise due diligence when deciding what they advertise.
The legal dispute follows a September 14 decision by the Delhi High Court, which dismissed a petition filed by PB Agro LLP, the master licensee for Vimal Elaichi, challenging the notices issued to the actors. The court held that Maharashtra was the appropriate jurisdiction for addressing the matter.
FDA Flags Hospital Consumable Price Markups
During the interview, Mundhe also raised concerns about substantial price markups on hospital consumables. He said the Maharashtra FDA had approached the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to examine price differences ranging from 150% to 2,800%.
He cited an intravenous set purchased for ₹11 but carrying a maximum retail price of ₹325. Mundhe suggested that authorities examine whether certain medical consumables could be brought under existing drug price control regulations to improve transparency and protect consumers.
