Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff have been summoned by the District Consumer Commission in Jaipur over allegations of misleading advertising for a gutkha brand. The summons, issued while Khan was in Jaipur for the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the IIFA Awards, requires him to respond by March 19 regarding claims made in an ad promoting saffron-infused gutkha. Similar notices have been sent to Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff, and the chairman of the gutkha manufacturing company, following a complaint by consumer rights activist Yogendra Singh Badiyal.
The complaint alleges that JB Industries, the gutkha manufacturer, falsely advertised that “every grain contains saffron,” despite saffron’s high cost of around Rs 4 lakh per kilogram, making such a claim implausible. It further argues that the product neither contains saffron nor has its fragrance, yet celebrity endorsements mislead consumers and encourage gutkha consumption, posing health risks. The petitioner has urged authorities to ban such deceptive advertising, citing its harmful impact on public health.
This is not the first time these actors have faced legal scrutiny over pan masala endorsements. In February, they were summoned by the Kota Consumer Court in a similar case involving Vimal Pan Masala. Additionally, a social worker from Kota filed a petition with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission seeking a ban on pan masala ads, with the next hearing set for April 21. BJP leader and advocate Indra Mohan Singh Honey had also filed a petition under the Consumer Protection Act in November 2024, adding to the ongoing legal challenges against the actors and the gutkha manufacturers.
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