Jaipur Consumer Commission Directs DGP to Form Special Team for Salman Khan Warrant
In a significant development, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Jaipur issued a directive on Wednesday, ordering the Director General of Police (DGP) to establish a dedicated special team. This team's primary mission is to serve a third bailable warrant on Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, intensifying legal pressure in an ongoing case concerning an allegedly misleading advertisement for Rajshree Pan Masala.
Strict Enforcement and Legal Warnings
The commission has emphasized the critical need for strict enforcement of this warrant, issuing a clear warning of more severe consequences should Khan fail to appear at the next scheduled hearing on April 6. It was explicitly stated that if Salman Khan and the officials from Rajshree Pan Masala do not respond to this warrant service, the commission will proceed to issue non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against them, marking a serious escalation in the legal proceedings.
Bench Composition and Directives
This directive was formally issued by the commission's Jaipur II bench, which is composed of chairman Gyarsi Lal Meena along with members Ajay Kumar and Supriya Agrawal. The bench has instructed the DGP to ensure that the Jaipur police commissioner and the deputy commissioner collaborate closely to form a special task force. This force must be capable of traveling to Mumbai to personally serve the warrant, underscoring the commission's determination to ensure compliance.
History of Warrants and Violations
The case has seen a series of bailable warrants issued against Salman Khan on previous dates: January 15, February 9, and March 16. Similarly, the directors of Rajshree Pan Masala, Rakesh Kumar Chaurasia and Dinesh Kumar Chaurasia, faced comparable warrants on February 11. Notably, the commission highlighted that Khan has "continuously violated interim directions related to the ban on misleading advertisements," and pointed out that his attempts to revise earlier decisions were dismissed by the state commission on March 16.
Emphasis on Legal Equality
The panel firmly asserted that "celebrity status does not grant any individual a special right to be above the law," stressing that repeated absences and evasion of bailable warrants undermine the integrity of the legal process. Such actions, they warned, could potentially erode consumer trust in the system, highlighting the broader implications of the case.
Origins of the Case
The case originated from a complaint filed by Yogendra Singh, who accused the involved parties of alleged misleading trade practices. Singh sought both a ban on the sale of the product and an end to Salman Khan's endorsement, initiating the legal battle that has now led to this high-profile warrant directive.
