Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has defended the show-cause notices issued to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their association with Vimal Elaichi advertisements, saying the action is based on existing food safety and advertising regulations.
Mundhe said the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, place responsibility on both advertisers and promoters to ensure that claims are truthful and comply with FSSAI norms. He said the notices concern possible surrogate advertising, where a permitted product may indirectly promote a prohibited tobacco or pan masala product.
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According to Mundhe, endorsers can face fines of up to ₹10 lakh and may be required to withdraw advertisements if found violating the regulations. He stressed that the action was not taken at his personal discretion but under rules that came into effect in 2019.
The FDA had issued notices to the three actors on August 11, giving them 15 days to respond. Mundhe said further action could follow if their explanations are found unsatisfactory.
The commissioner also said the FDA is targeting manufacturers, sellers and other businesses as part of its wider food safety crackdown across Maharashtra.
