HC dismisses petition against Big B for violating anti-tobacco law

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court today dismissed a petition filed by an NGO against actor Amitabh Bachchan accusing him of violating anti-tobacco law.

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by an NGO against actor Amitabh Bachchan accusing him of violating anti-tobacco law.

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Justice Nelson Britto dismissed the petition filed by National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), an anti-tobacco group which had moved the court against the megastar and three others.

NOTE had objected to the roadside hoardings on Margao-Mapusa national highway which showed the actor smoking a cigar. The hoardings, displaying a still picture from the film Family, were put up in Goa from December 25, 2005 to January 1, 2006.

The NGO had protested against these hoardings showing Bachchan smoking a cigar and endorsing Anchor Daewoo's electronic appliances.

The NGO had claimed that hoardings were violating the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, and section 7 of Goa Prohibitory Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997.

A case was also filed with local police against Keshu Ramsay, producer of the film Family and M/s DMS film pvt Limited.

NOTE General Secretary Shekhar Salkar said the NGO will challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court.