Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is busy shooting for Tiger 3 which is touted to be one of the most awaited films of Bhaijaan this year. Amidst his erratic shoot and post-production schedule, there is a big respite for Salman Khan as The Bombay High Court on March 30th has quashed criminal proceedings against Bollywood actor Salman Khan in a complaint filed by a journalist in 2019 alleging criminal intimidation.
What was the case
In 2019, a journalist 2019 accused the actor and his bodyguard Nawaz Shaikh of snatching his phone.
As per reports, a journalist named Ashok Pandey claimed that in April 2019, he, along with a camera person, tried to film Salman Khan while the actor was cycling. The journalist alleged that though he had the bodyguards' permission, they allegedly manhandled him and snatched his phone after Salman Khan objected to the filming. He further alleged that the D N Nagar police had refused to file a complaint, after which he filed a private complaint before the magistrate, seeking criminal action against the actor and his bodyguard.
What did Salman mention in his petition?
Salman Khan in his petition had claimed there were contradictions and improvisations in Pandey's complaint and that he had not said anything to Pandey at the time of the alleged incident.
Timeline of the case
The high court had stayed the proceedings on April 5 last year and continued from time to time.
Metropolitan Magistrate R R Khan had issued process to Khan and Shaikh after noting a police report submitted in the matter stated that offences under Indian Penal Code Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) are made out against the accused persons.
A single-judge bench of Justice Bharati H Dangre had concluded the hearing and reserved its orders in the plea by the actor and his bodyguard on March 21. Justice Dangre had orally observed, "Let people have their privacy, Whether it is an actor, lawyer or judge. None of you is above the law. Neither an actor nor a press person. Even they are bound to follow the law."
What was the judgment passed by the Bombay High court?
Salman Khan sought for quashing of the complaint against him. Senior Advocate Aabad Ponda appearing for Khan submitted that he had only asked his bodyguards to stop the journalist from shooting photos/ videos of him.
The Bombay High Court ordered to rejection of the FIR registered against Salman. In 2019, journalist Ashok Pandey lodged an FIR against the actor for assault.
Single-judge Justice Bharati Dangre passed the order on Thursday morning. The actor is exempted from appearing in the Andheri court and his summons have also been quashed.
Death threats to Salman Khan
On the other hand, Salman Khan received a death threat via an email to his manager by the Bishnoi gang. The sender of the e-mail, written in Hindi, said, "Goldy Bhai (gangster Goldy Brar) wanted to talk to Salman Khan face-to-face to close the matter", adding, "Agli baar, jhatka dekhne ko milega (You'll see something shocking)", the police had said.
"After a detailed technical investigation into the case, police got information about the accused person's whereabouts, following which a team was sent to Rajasthan and the man was apprehended," the official said.
Mumbai police had registered a first information report (FIR) against gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar.
Work front
Salman Khan will be seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, which will be released on April 21, 2023. After which. the actor will be seen in Tiger 3 with Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi, the film is slated to hit cinema halls on Diwali 2023.
