Salman Khan summoned by Kota Consumer Court in Pan Masala advertisement case

Jaipur: The Kota District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a forensic examination of Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s signature in a case related to a pan masala advertisement.
The court also directed the actor to appear in person on January 20th with the relevant documents and a notary.
The order was issued after the complainant, BJP leader and lawyer Indramohan Singh Honey, raised objections to the authenticity of Salman Khan’s signature on the power of attorney and the reply submitted to the court.
The complainant alleged discrepancies in the signature and sought forensic verification. Accepting the objection, the Consumer Court directed that the signature be examined by a state-authorized and recognized agency or a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
The order was issued under Section 38(9)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Section 73(2) of the Indian Evidence Act.
The court further stated that Salman Khan will appear before it on the next hearing date, represented by Advocate R.C. Chaubey, who notarized the power of attorney and reply on his behalf.
Advocate Indramohan Singh Honey alleged that the documents filed on Salman Khan’s behalf did not bear his original signature.
He claimed that the signature on record differed from the signature previously given by the actor in Jodhpur jail and during court proceedings.
Based on this, he demanded a forensic examination and Salman Khan’s personal appearance, which the court has now accepted. The petition was filed in the Kota Consumer Court against Salman Khan and the Rajshree Pan Masala company, alleging misleading advertising.
The complainant argued that the advertisement promoted “Kesar Wali Elaichi,” which he claimed was misleading because saffron could not actually be included in the low-priced pouches.
The petition alleges that such advertisements mislead consumers, especially young people, and pose serious health risks.
In his response filed on November 27, Salman Khan called the complaint baseless and stated that action, if any, rests solely with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).
His legal team stated that the ad is for silver-coated cardamom, not saffron-based paan masala, and denied all allegations.
On December 9, Salman Khan again denied the claims, stating that the signature on record is genuine and matches the signature on his PAN card and passport, and called the objections frivolous and legally invalid.
The case will now be heard on January 20, when the court will review the forensic investigation process and further action.