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The Central government has informed the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court about issuing notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn. This action is in response to their involvement in advertisements for gutka companies, PTI reported.
The government’s move came after a contempt petition was filed, urging action against these celebrities. The petitioner have argued that, despite being recipients of high-profile awards, these actors have been promoting products harmful to public health, PTI reported.
The High Court earlier instructed the government to address the petitioner’s concerns. Despite the representation made on October 22, there was initially no action taken, leading to the filing of a contempt petition.
During the court proceedings on December 8, Deputy Solicitor General SB Pandey confirmed that show-cause notices had been sent to the three actors. The court also learned about Amitabh Bachchan’s legal action against a gutka company.
Bachchan had terminated his contract with the company, yet his advertisement continued to be aired. The next hearing has been scheduled for May 9, 2024.
Surrogate advertising
In India, direct advertising of gutka is banned due to its health risks. Companies bypass this through surrogate advertising, promoting gutka brands under seemingly-unrelated products like flavoured betel nuts.
To tackle this loophole, authorities like the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) are taking action against pan masala companies for surrogate ads. The Allahabad High Court has also intervened, issuing notices for non-compliance with advertisement bans, particularly involving notable awardees.
Do SRK, Akshay and Ajay Devgn promote gutka?
Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn have been under fire for promoting Vimal Elaichi, which falls under the category of mouth-freshners.
The company claims that the cardamom product, which also contains saffron, is 100% tobacco-free. It is not a violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) to hire celebrities to endorse such products, the company early argued.
However, many accuse the company of promoting tobacco products like zarda, gutka and khaini (which Vimal is typically known for) under the guise of Vimal Elaichi.
(With PTI inputs)
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Published: 10 Dec 2023, 02:29 PM IST
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