A formal complaint was filed against Salman Khan and the brand he endorsed over advertisements linked to Rajshree's elaichi product. Kota Consumer Court had taken up the case and has now asked the actor to respond. (Image Source: Instagram/beingsalmankhan)
While Salman Khan is no stranger to big brand deals, one of his recent endorsements has dragged him into legal trouble.
A consumer court in Kota has sent a notice to the Bollywood superstar, triggering a fresh debate about celebrity responsibility and the power of influence over the youth.
A formal complaint was filed against Salman Khan and the brand he endorsed over advertisements linked to Rajshree's elaichi product. Kota Consumer Court had taken up the case and has now asked the actor to respond.
BJP leader and Rajasthan High Court advocate Inder Mohan Singh Honey had filed the petition. He has contended that the advertisements were misleading because both stated that the product contained “saffron-infused cardamom" and “saffron-infused pan masala," despite selling for only Rs 5 a packet.
Honey contends it is impossible since it costs nearly Rs 4 lakh per kilogram of saffron. He further states that such advertisements may encourage young people to consume pan masala, which is harmful.
He says, "Salman Khan is a role model for many people. We have filed a complaint against it in the Kota Consumer Court, and notices have been issued for a hearing.
Celebrities or film stars in other countries don't even promote cold drinks, but they are promoting tobacco and pan masala. I urge them not to spread the wrong message to the youth, as pan masala is one of the leading causes of mouth cancer," the petitioner told ANI.
The Kota Consumer Court has issued notices to both the manufacturing company and the actor and is awaiting their responses. The next court hearing has been fixed for 27 November.
Salman Khan has appeared in commercials for Rajshree Elaichi. The company also manufactures pan masala, although the actor has not fronted any ad selling the pan masala itself.
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2002 Hit-and-Run Case
This was the infamous case in which Khan ran his car over five people sleeping on a pavement in Mumbai, killing one. He was convicted by a trial court in 2015 and sentenced to five years in jail but was acquitted later that year by the Bombay High Court because there was no concrete evidence against him, and the key witness was unreliable. The state government has appealed against his acquittal, and the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.
Poaching Cases of Blackbuck
Khan had been accused of hunting blackbucks, an endangered species, while filming in Rajasthan back in 1998. He was convicted in 2018 in the main blackbuck case and sentenced to five years, though he was granted bail quickly. He was acquitted in related chinkara poaching cases in 2016. His conviction in the blackbuck case is pending in an appeal before a higher court.
