Vimal Elaichi Setback: Delhi HC Refuses to Quash FDA Notices
What Happened
The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition by PB Agro LLP, maker of Vimal Elaichi, against show-cause notices issued by the Maharashtra FDA to brand ambassadors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff. The regulator alleges that Vimal Elaichi advertisements amount to surrogate promotion of Vimal Pan Masala, which is banned in Maharashtra. The court ruled it lacked territorial jurisdiction and said Maharashtra courts are the appropriate forum for the dispute.
Key Takeaways
The ruling is a procedural setback for the company rather than a verdict on the merits of the case. The controversy over whether the Vimal Elaichi campaign indirectly promotes pan masala will now have to be challenged before courts or authorities in Maharashtra.