Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe says, “Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff not shielded by celebrity status in Vimal ad case”

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has said that the celebrity status of Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff will not protect them from regulatory action in connection with a Vimal Elaichi advertisement.

The three actors were issued show-cause notices by the Maharashtra FDA after the department stated that the advertisement amounted to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, a product prohibited in the state.

Speaking to NDTV, Mundhe said the FDA has already moved forward with adjudication and prosecution proceedings in the case involving one of the actors who did not respond to the notice within the stipulated period.

“According to you they may be stars, but according to me they are only advertisers in this case.

So I am looking at them as violators of the law, and the law will take its own course.

That’s why we have started taking action,” Mundhe said.

FDA issues notices to three actors The Maharashtra FDA issued show-cause notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff on August 11, giving them 15 days to respond.

According to Mundhe, two of the three actors responded to the notices, while one did not.

He did not identify which actor failed to respond.

“We have taken this action as per the law,” Mundhe said.

He further revealed that proceedings have already begun in the case where the actor did not submit a response.

“In one case where they have not responded, we are starting the adjudicating and prosecution proceedings,” he said.

Mundhe was also asked whether Shah Rukh Khan’s team had responded to the notice.

He said, “Most likely he has not responded, but I’m not too sure about it.” Actors cite manufacturer’s responsibility According to Mundhe, the two actors who responded to the FDA notices argued that the responsibility should lie with the manufacturer.