Jaipur: In a significant legal development for actor Salman Khan, the Rajasthan Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has temporarily halted the process of issuing a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. The decision, delivered on Friday, stems from a case involving alleged misleading advertisements for a pan masala brand.
The state commission intervened after hearing revision petitions filed by both Khan and the pan masala company. Khan’s legal team informed the higher body that the District Consumer Commission, Jaipur-II, had previously issued a bailable warrant without proper summons and was now moving to issue a non-bailable warrant, despite a separate application seeking the cancellation of the initial bailable warrant still awaiting a decision.
Taking cognisance of these submissions, the state commission directed the district commission to expedite the hearing of the pending application. Crucially, it imposed a restriction, prohibiting the District Consumer Commission from issuing a non-bailable warrant until the existing bailable warrant has been executed.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jaipur-II, had earlier issued a bailable warrant against the popular actor, instructing him to appear before it on February 6. This action was prompted by a contempt petition filed by complainant Yogendra Singh.
In his contempt petition, Singh alleged that advertisements for Rajshree Pan Masala were still being displayed, in direct contravention of an interim restraint order imposed by the commission on January 6. The complainant asserted that this constituted a clear act of contempt against the commission’s directive.
The original complaint that initiated the legal proceedings contended that Rajshree Pan Masala company, along with its brand ambassador Salman Khan, was promoting deceptive advertisements under the banners “Kesar Yukt Elaichi” and “Kesar Yukt Pan Masala.” Following this complaint, an interim ban on the product’s promotion and advertising had been instituted on January 6.
The contempt petition further detailed that despite the interim ban, a new signboard featuring the same prohibited advertisement was reportedly installed near Nayapura Stadium in Kota on January 9, just three days after the commission’s order, leading to the current proceedings.
