A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, along with six senior officials from Hyundai Motor India, in a fraud case concerning alleged manufacturing defects in a Hyundai Alcazar car. The case was registered in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, following a complaint by local resident Kirti Singh.
Singh, who purchased the Hyundai Alcazar SUV in 2022 for nearly ₹24 lakh, alleges that the vehicle began exhibiting serious technical faults shortly after purchase. Despite multiple complaints to the dealership and Hyundai officials, the issues remained unresolved. Singh further stated that the decision to buy the car was influenced by advertisements featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, who serve as brand ambassadors for Hyundai in India.
Acting on a private complaint filed in the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (CJM) No. 2, Bharatpur, the court directed the Mathura Gate Police Station to lodge an FIR under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 420 (cheating), as well as provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
This case brings into focus the legal responsibility of celebrity endorsers under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, especially following the Supreme Court ruling last year that made influencers and endorsers liable for misleading advertisements.
Shah Rukh Khan has been associated with Hyundai India since 1998, promoting several models including the electric Hyundai Ioniq 5. Deepika Padukone started her association with Hyundai in December 2023 and recently appeared alongside Shah Rukh in campaigns such as the Hyundai Creta.
Neither of the actors or Hyundai representatives have commented on the FIR yet. The investigation is ongoing.
