The blurred head-and-upper-body image appears above the words ‘Smoking Kills’.
The Indian Express said it was part of an anti-smoking drive. The government’s directorate of visual publicity said it was unclear why the image was used.
A spokesman for Elite Managements, which represents John Terry, said no consent had been given.
His statement read: “It’s been brought to our attention that an image of our client has been used on some cigarette packaging without our consent or knowledge. We’ve now instructed our legal team to investigate this matter.”
Health ministry
The Indian Express quoted KS Dhatwalia, additional secretary of the directorate of visual publicity, as saying: “We sent the creative to the health ministry and they then cleared it and circulated it.
“But how Terry’s picture got to be used is not clear.”
However, another official at the directorate told Reuters that the matter “has got nothing to do with John Terry”, adding: “It was purely a piece of artistic imagination and I don’t know why an issue is being created.”
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