Tendulkar’s name used for endorsement of medicinal products without permission, police register case

Mumbai: Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against unidentified persons for using legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s name, photo, and voice for the promotion of medicinal products without his permission, an official said on Friday.

One of Tendulkar’s aides filed a complaint with the West Region Cyber Police Station in this regard on Thursday, he said.

The complainant said that he came across online advertisements of a drug company which claimed that the master batter endorsed its product line. He also found a website, sachinhealth.in, which promoted these products using Tendulkar’s photo.

As Tendulkar had never given permission to the company to use his name and photographs and it was leading to maligning of his image, he instructed his aide to take legal action, the complaint said.

A First Information Report was registered against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery) and 500 (defamation) besides the Information Technology Act, the official said, adding that further investigation was on.