The Central Government has issued notices to Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn regarding their association with gutkha companies’ advertisements, responding to a defamation petition filed in the Allahabad High Court.
Government Notice Issued
The government’s legal representatives informed the High Court on Friday that the Supreme Court is also hearing a case on this matter, and an immediate dismissal of the petition should be considered. After hearing the arguments, the court has scheduled a hearing for May 9, 2024. Chief Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan’s bench had earlier directed the Central Government to make a decision on behalf of the petitioners, who argued that action should be taken against those actors and dignitaries who had received high-profile awards but were endorsing gutkha companies.
Deputy Solicitor General Provides High Court Information
The petitioner argued that an application was submitted to the government on October 22, but no action was taken in the case. Subsequently, the High Court issued a notice to the Cabinet Secretary of the Central Government while hearing the defamation petition. On Friday, Deputy Solicitor General S.B. Pandey informed the High Court that the government had issued notices to Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn, asking them to explain the reasons for their association with gutkha advertisements. The court was also informed that Amitabh Bachchan had sent a legal notice to a gutkha company, which, despite this fact, continued to air his advertisement, even though he had terminated his contract with them.
