Rajasthan High Court Stays Cheating FIR Against Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone For Endorsing 'Defective' Car

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday (September 10) stayed investigation in a cheating FIR registered against Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and actress Deepika Padukone for endorsing 'defective' Hyundai car. 

For context, both Khan and Padukone are brand ambassadors for the car brand. FIR was registered under Sections 406(criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC. The FIR was lodged after the complainant filed a complaint before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate who sent the complaint under Section 175(3) BNSS, for registration of FIR and investigation to the concerned Police Station.

Justice Sudesh Bansal while issuing notices on a batch of pleas including those filed by Khan, Padukone, Managing Director of Hyundai and CEO of Hyundai Motor India Ltd., seeking quashing of the FIR and said:

"...let notice be issued to respondent No.2- complainant. In the meanwhile, further investigation in the impugned FIR No. 558/2025, registered at Police Station Mathuragate, District Bharatpur, qua petitioners shall remain stayed". 

The court however opined that the grievance of complainant, whatsoever may be can be resolved through Mediation. For this purpose the court said that any Authorized Officer, for and on behalf of Hyundai Motor India Ltd., so also Malwa Auto Sales Pvt. Ltd. (from dealership Company of Hyundai) may mediate with the complainant, in order to resolve the dispute finally.

The court listed the matters on September 25 and directed the Public Prosecutor to inform Investigating Officer to ensure service of notice upon the complainant and to inform him about filing of these petitions and date of next hearing.

The complainant said he bought a Hyundai Alcazar Car in June 2022 and after plying the vehicle for about three years and 67,000 KMs, he lodged the complaint stating that the vehicle suffers from manufacturing and technical faults and while driving such vehicle, he got stuck several times.

The complainant claimed that he made a demand in the Company for replacement of Car or to refund the cost of vehicle, which was not responded to.

The petitioners argued that their implication in the criminal complaint is absolutely arbitrary inasmuch as they have no nexus with the sale of vehicle in question and do not deal with affairs of Company.

Petitioner-Mr. Unsoo Kim is Managing Director and petitioner Mr. Tarun Garg is Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor India Ltd. and petitioners- Mr. Shah Rukh Khan and Ms. Deepika Padukone are Brand Ambassadors of the Hyundai Company.

It was further argued that Hyundai Motor India Ltd. has not been impleaded as a party in the criminal complaint and petitioners cannot be slightly connected with the impugned FIR, more so when the concept of vicarious liability is alien to IPC.

It was argued that at the most, if complainant has any grievance in respect of defects, he being a consumer of Hyundai India and its dealership, could have availed the remedy under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. However he instead, filed a criminal complaint and implicating public figures.

It was argued that such a complaint ought not to have been sent by Judicial Magistrate for registration of FIR and investigation; hence registration of FIR on the order of concerned Judicial Magistrate itself is wrong.

Case title: Shah Rukh Khan v/s The State Of Rajasthan and anr. and Batch

S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous (Petition) No. 5669/2025

Counsel for Petitioners: Senior advocates  Kapil Sibal, V.R. Bajwa, Madhav Mitra and advocates Aparjita Jamwal,  Aditya Sharma, Jaya Mitra, Sanjay Kumar, Abhishek Kr. Singh, Saurabh Kumar,  Vedanshi Jalan and Savita Nathawat

Counsel for State : PP Vivek Choudhary, PP

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