GECs
ASCI upholds complaint against 144 ads in June 13
MUMBAI: The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has upheld complaints against 144 out of 174 advertisements in June.
The category leading the pack of misleading ads was health and personal care category followed by education sector. For the first time ever, ASCI has also tracked and upheld complaints against four online advertisements, out of which one is an advertisement of Hindustan Unilever on the YouTube.
The CCC found two ads violating Chapter III 1(b) of the ASCI Code as they deride colour of the skin in the digital space. The complaints were upheld against HUL’s Ponds BB Cream which is titled ‘The Future of India’ and goes on to talk about various benefits of the product and how women yearn to have fair skin and Emami Fair and Handsome cream ad which shows a flow chart depicting various problems such as inferiority complex, not good looking, etc. affecting dark skin colored people.
In the health and personal care product or service category, the CCC found that claims of 58 ads released in the press is either misleading or false or not adequately/scientifically substantiated and hence violating Chapter I of the ASCI Code. Some of the health care products or services ads also contravened provisions of the Drug & Magic Remedies Act.
The complaint against HUL’s Sunsilk Perfect Straight ad that shows a girl packing/selecting all her hair straightening equipment and her friend telling her about a shampoo that can keep the hair perfectly straight after attending a gym session, party or even in other situations’ has been upheld for misleading the customers.
Another one making to this list is Johnson’s Baby Natural Massaging Oil advertisement. The ad claims that the ‘oil helps in 47 per cent more weight gain.’ Similarly, Dabur’s Fem Turmeric Herbal Bleach claim of it being a ‘herbal, mild and ammonia free bleach’ and Zee Laboratories’ advertisement of Virgin Again Gel claiming that the ‘Vagina tightening and rejuvenating gel improves muscle tone’ complaints have been upheld.
Livon Hair Gain Tonic in their print ad claiming ‘Increase hair growth with the latest hair gain formula- Livon Hair Gain Tonic’ is another one making to the list of products being upheld.
The Himalaya Complete Care Toothpaste TVC begins with a message depicting importance of the `anti-oxidant’ having health benefits. The commercial which communicates that anti-oxidant not only kills the germs but also removes toxins and further strengthen the gums and teeth and then, ultimately, concludes with a message that it is much more than gum protection was upheld too.
Second in lead was the education category wherein CCC found 57 different advertisers in print violating the ASCI guidelines for advertising of educational institutions and hence the complaints were upheld.
Eight complaints were upheld in the consumer durables category with brands like Godrej, Samsung, Microtek etc.
In the telecom category, the advertisement of Tata Docomo Network showing a husband quietly eating a pizza at night when the Tata Docomo signature sound starts playing in the background. A voice over that starts ‘When you are enjoying your pizza, think of us because leading pizza chains use our network. So, are you on the network that is everywhere?’ The CCC viewed the TVC and concluded that the claim, ‘leading pizza delivery chains use Tata Docomo network’, was not substantiated as the support was provided only for one chain i.e. Pizza Hut. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was upheld.
Complaints against Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd, CNBC Awaaz and Punjab Kesari were upheld in the media category.
Other categories against which complaints were upheld were auto, food and beverage and many other.
ASCI, through the National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS), has already started post tracking of advertisements in print and TV against which complaints are upheld. Initial tracking results show overall there is 90 per cent compliance from advertisers on ASCI’s decisions.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
