PANAJI: Responding to a notice by NOTE-India, an anti-tobacco body, actor Amitabh Bachchan said he had taken note of the Anti-Tobacco Legislation, 2003 that he was accused of violating. He said he had asked his producers to take immediate steps to ensure that no violations took place.

Extending his apologies, Mr. Bachchan said the legal notice issued by NOTE would be dealt with by his lawyers. He said that nothing in his letter should be treated as an admission of any kind of violation of the law by AB Corporation Ltd. or by him personally.

NOTE (National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication) recently served a legal notice on Mr. Bachchan alleging violation of anti-tobacco laws in the State. It objected to hoardings along National Highway 17 that depicted the mega star smoking.

Releasing copies of Mr. Bachchan's reply, surgeon Shekhar Salkar, secretary of NOTE, said he was happy that Mr. Bachchan said he had asked DMS Films and the producer of the film, Family, Keshu Ramsay, to remove the hoardings across the country.

Still from film

Mr. Bachchan said the hoarding carried a still from the film Family, and was not intended to influence anyone or to violate any law.

"Neither AB Corporation nor I have promoted Anchor products or tobacco products. Anchor appears to have taken undue liberty while using the still from the film, Family carrying my image to promote their product," he said and added that neither he nor AB Corporation was aware of the advertisement.

Mr. Salkar has sought Mr. Bachchan's help to legally deal with the "real culprits behind the ad-campaign." He suggested that the star appear in the media to condemn the tobacco menace.

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