Actor Ajay Degvan has claimed that the Maharashtra state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acted with a “premeditated and predetermined mind” and a “prejudged and punitive outlook” when issuing him a show cause notice over his appearance in an elaichi (cardamom) commercial. The actor’s petition, in response to the FDA notice, said that he participated in an advertisement for a brand of elaichi and “did not endorse Vimal Pan Masala”. The FDA show cause notice said, the ad with Ajay Devgan promotes the brand which is “mainly associated with pan masala”. It sought the actor’s immediate discontinuation of endorsement of the pan masala brand and the removal of the advertisement from their official social media handles and websites.
Devgan’s petition will be heard on November 4 by Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. According to the petition, the grounds ought to have been disclosed to him by the FDA to enable an effective response.
The petition further stated that the immediate ceasing action and “final warning” issued indicated that the FDA had formed a view against the actor, without giving him a genuine opportunity to respond.
