The Delhi high court on Monday dismissed a petition by PB Agro LLP, the manufacturer of mouth freshener “Vimal Elaichi”, challenging notices issued by Maharashtra’s Food and Drugs Administration ( FDA ) to actors Shah Rukh Khan , Ajay Devgn, and Tiger Shroff over allegations of surrogate advertising.
A bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma ruled that the company had failed to establish that any substantial or material part of the cause of action had arisen in Delhi and emphasised that the show cause notice was issued by the Mumbai -based Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the company’s brand ambassadors, who were residents of Mumbai, in connection with alleged activities and statutory violations in Maharashtra . “In view of the aforesaid discussion, this court is of the considered view that the petitioner has failed to establish that any substantial or material part of the cause of action has arisen within the territorial jurisdiction of this court.
The impugned show cause notice was issued by the FDA, Mumbai, State of Maharashtra – to the brand ambassadors engaged by the petitioner, who are residents of Mumbai – in relation to alleged activities and alleged statutory violations in Maharashtra,” the court said.
