Responding to a recent show-cause notice issued by Delhi State Tobacco Control Cell (DSTCC) over his appearance in an ad for paan masala brand Paan Bahar, British actor Pierce Brosnan has said he was cheated by the company, who failed to inform him about the “hazardous” nature of the product, reports PTI.

The DSTCC had recently issued a show-cause notice against Brosnan and questioned the lack of punitive action taken against the actor as well as directors and promoters of the company. In his reply, Brosnan said his agreement had expired and that he was willing to cooperate with the authorities on the matter. He also gave a written undertaking that he would not work with any company to promote harmful products in the future.

The Additional Director (Health) for the Government of Delhi, S K Arora, appealed to celebrities to not act in surrogate advertisements – where the product being advertised is something else, such as elaichi (cardamon) but with the brand name of paan masala – which are banned under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2003. The Act bans all direct and indirect ads for tobacco-related products.