The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reportedly issued show-cause notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their advertisement for Vimal Elaichi. The regulator has alleged that the campaign amounts to surrogate advertising for Vimal Pan Masala, which is banned in Maharashtra. The action comes as part of the state FDA’s wider crackdown on gutkha and pan masala products containing tobacco or nicotine.

Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff under FDA scanner

As per reports, the show-cause notices were delivered to Ajay Devgn at his residence in Juhu and Shah Rukh Khan at Mannat in Bandra. Tiger Shroff was served the notice through his production company, Tiger Shroff Productions LLP. In the notice issued this week, the FDA has sought an explanation from the actors regarding their involvement in the advertisement, alleging that the campaign creates an indirect association with the Vimal Pan Masala brand and could amount to its surrogate promotion.