Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone get interim relief in Rajasthan defective car case

The Rajasthan High Court has stayed an FIR filed against Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in a case involving allegations of fraud linked to a Hyundai vehicle. The matter, which originated from Bharatpur, accused the actors of misleading consumers by promoting a car said to have manufacturing defects.

The complaint was filed by a local resident, advocate Kirti Singh, who alleged that Hyundai Motors sold him a defective car, resulting in financial losses. The FIR named six company officials alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, both of whom were endorsing the brand at the time. Singh argued that their promotion of the vehicle contributed to his decision to purchase it.

Seeking relief, the actors approached the Rajasthan High Court, with their legal teams stressing that their role was confined to brand endorsement. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Shah Rukh Khan, argued that the actor had no role in the vehicle’s technical quality. Similarly, advocate Madhav Mitra, appearing for Deepika Padukone, contended that she could not be held responsible for alleged defects in the product.

Justice Sudesh Bansal, presiding over the case in Jodhpur, noted that the FIR lacked specific allegations establishing liability against the actors. The court ordered a stay on the FIR, granting interim relief to both celebrities and the Hyundai officials named in the complaint. The next hearing has been scheduled for September 25.

The petitioners also argued that the complainant had used the car for almost three years and driven it for more than 67,000 kilometres. They maintained that if there were genuine grievances, the appropriate forum would have been a consumer court, not a criminal FIR.

The case highlights an ongoing debate about the responsibility of celebrity brand ambassadors. While endorsements influence consumer behaviour, legal experts point out that accountability for product defects typically lies with the manufacturer, not the endorsers.

For now, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone have secured temporary relief, but the matter remains under judicial consideration. Meanwhile, on the professional front, the two actors are reuniting on screen for Sidharth Anand’s upcoming film King.