Ajay Devgn has challenged a Maharashtra FDA show cause notice over his Vimal Elaichi ads. The case is listed in the Bombay High Court on 4 November.

The FDA says its own process will go ahead anyway. "We have already started adjudicating proceedings," Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe told ANI.

An investigation by the Assistant Commissioner found statutory violations, according to the FDA. The matter now sits with the Joint Commissioner.

The notices were issued under Sections 24 and 53 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which cover misleading ads and their penalties.

The FDA is concerned that flavoured cardamom ads under the Vimal brand could work as surrogate promotion for Vimal Pan Masala and gutkha.

Shah Rukh Khan and Tiger Shroff were also served show cause notices over their Vimal Elaichi campaigns.

Devgn's petition calls the FDA action arbitrary. It argues that enforcement liability should rest with the manufacturing company rather than brand ambassadors.

He says his deal covered only cardamom products and that his part in the campaign has since ended.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh C. Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna will hear the case. No penalty has been reported so far.

Read the full report on the Ajay Devgn Vimal case on Trends News Stories.