New Delhi, September 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition filed by PB Agro, the company associated with Vimal Elaichi, challenging show-cause notices issued by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over an alleged surrogate advertisement for Vimal pan masala.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed the plea, holding that the dispute did not fall within the Delhi High Court’s territorial jurisdiction. The court said Maharashtra would be the appropriate forum for raising grievances and objections concerning notices issued by the state FDA.
The court also held that PB Agro had failed to establish that any substantial or material part of the cause of action had arisen in Delhi.
PB Agro had argued that the Delhi High Court had jurisdiction because the company is based in the national capital and the advertising campaign was allegedly conceptualised, prepared and managed there. It also claimed that payments to the brand ambassadors were made from Delhi.
The court rejected these grounds, noting that the show-cause notices were not issued to PB Agro itself. The company had not been directed to submit a response, remove any advertisement, produce documents or appear before the Maharashtra FDA.
The dispute concerns notices issued to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over alleged surrogate promotion of Vimal pan masala. The actors have appeared in advertisements for Vimal Elaichi, marketed by PB Agro.
PB Agro had sought quashing of the notices and argued during the hearing that although the notices were issued only to the actors, the company could suffer irreparable harm from any action concerning the advertisement. It also questioned the Maharashtra FDA’s jurisdiction to issue directions seeking to stop the advertisement.
The Centre and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) opposed the maintainability of the petition before the Delhi High Court, arguing that PB Agro should approach the Bombay High Court since the challenged action was taken by the Maharashtra FDA.
The CCPA said it was examining the issue independently and had no objection to the Maharashtra FDA issuing the notices.
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