The Rajasthan High Court, on Friday, stayed proceedings before a consumer forum against actor Salman Khan. This was regarding a case concerning misleading advertisements of pan masala featuring the Bollywood superstar.
Rajasthan HC stays proceedings
Justice Anuroop Singhi passed the order on a petition filed by Khan, in which he challenged the orders of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at Jaipur. The district commission had restrained the advertisements and also issued bailable warrants against Khan, which had later been upheld by the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
Meanwhile, Khan separately filed an appeal against the same before the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) while moving the High Court challenging the consumer proceedings. Senior Advocate GS Bapna, who appeared for Khan, argued that the actor had only endorsed the company’s “silver-coated elaichi” product and had never advertised pan masala. He even submitted that the complaint was ex facie misconceived.
Bapna further claimed that the District Consumer Commission lacked jurisdiction to hear the complaints relating to misleading advertisements, which fall within the domain of the Central Consumer Protection Authority.
He also noted that on January 6, the District Commission passed an interim order without notice and that it was never served on him, arguing that contempt of court proceedings under Section 72 of the Consumer Protection Act could not have been initiated in the absence of service. Additionally, he pointed out that issuance of bailable warrants without recording such a finding was unsustainable.
The High Court stated that Khan had moved the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), challenging the January 15 order issuing warrants. It also noted that the NCDRC had, on April 8, stayed the execution of bailable warrants issued against Khan by the District Commission.
As a result, it stayed the consumer proceedings and issued notice to the complainant, Yogendra Singh Badiyal, seeking his response. Similarly, the Court has also stayed proceedings against Kamal Kant & Company, the manufacturer of Rajshree Pan Masala.
About the pan masala ad case
The complaint was reportedly filed in December 2025 by advocate Yogendra Singh Badiyal against Rajshree Pan Masala and Salman Khan. The suit alleged that advertisements for `Rajshree Elaichi` were a surrogate ad for pan masala promotion. It added that it amounted to misleading advertisements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Khan was presented as a defendant in his capacity as brand ambassador. The matter will next be heard on May 12.