Bombay HC quashes complaint against Salman Khan in journalist assault case

The Bombay High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Bollywood actor Salman Khan in a complaint filed by a journalist in 2019 alleging criminal intimidation.

Single-judge Justice Bharati Dangre passed the order on Thursday morning.

Khan moved the High Court challenging a summoning order passed on the complaint of a journalist who claimed that the actor was cycling on the streets of Mumbai when he got into a scuffle with the scribe and snatched his phone.

The Magistrate Court sought a report from the DN Nagar police station where the complaint was filed.

Based on the “positive police report” under Section 202 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and other material, the Magistrate found there was sufficient ground to proceed against Khan.

The Magistrate observed that offences under Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code had been made out against the accused and summoned him to personally remain present in court.

Khan then moved the High Court which stayed the order in April 2022. Khan also 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.

Advocate Fazil Hussein, for the complainant-journalist, said that the complainant was traumatised after the incident and hence, there was omission on his part in mentioning the actor’s name when the complaint was first filed.

However, in his statement recorded subsequently, he mentioned Khan’s name, it was pointed out.

Ponda along with advocates Agasthya Desai and Vikram Sutaria were briefed by a team from DSK Legal including managing partner Anand Desai and partners Chandrima Mitra and Parag Khandhar.