PANAJI: The Single Judge of the High Court of Bombay at Goa, Mr Justice N A Britto, dismissed the petition challenging the order of the Panaji Sessions Court, discharging superstar Amitabh Bachchan, from a criminal complaint under the anti-tobacco law.

The petition was filed by National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), through its general secretary, challenging the order which discharged Mr Bachchan from criminal proceedings before the Judicial Magistrate, under the anti-tobacco law.

The petitioners had alleged that Mr Bachchan had promoted smoking through a display of an advertisement on the Goa highway, depicting himself puffing a cigar while endorsing a product.

However the Panaji Sessions Judge, accepting the contention of Mr Bachan that "the hoarding was from a still taken from the movie ‘Family’ in which he has acted, and he had not permitted anyone to use it for promotional purposes," discharged Mr Bachchan from the proceedings against him before the Judicial Magistrate.

The Judicial Magistrate had earlier issued notice of legal proceedings against the actor following the filing of criminal case by NOTE, under the Goa Anti-tobacco Act.