Delhi High Court Rejects Vimal Elaichi Maker’s Plea Against FDA Notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition filed by PB Agro LLP, the manufacturer and licensee of Vimal Elaichi, challenging show-cause notices issued to its celebrity brand ambassadors—Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff—by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rejected the plea on grounds of territorial jurisdiction, stating that the petitioner should approach appropriate courts in Maharashtra under the doctrine of forum conveniens.

The dispute arose after the Maharashtra FDA issued regulatory notices alleging that advertisements for Vimal Elaichi constituted surrogate promotion of banned pan masala products. The authority requested the actors to provide documentation demonstrating that the cardamom product was distinct from prohibited tobacco items, while demanding an immediate suspension of the promotional campaign and removal of related material from digital platforms.

PB Agro contended that the notices directly impacted its business interests even though the firm itself was not directly served. However, the High Court determined that because the issuing regulatory authority and the actor respondents are located in Maharashtra, the Delhi High Court lacks the territorial standing to hear the challenge.