Bombay HC quashes criminal plea against Salman Khan

Mumbai, March 30: Bombay High Court Justice Bharati Dange on Thursday quashed proceedings against Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in a complaint filed by a journalist alleging criminal intimidation in 2019.

The actor had challenged a summon based on the complaint by Ashok Pandey, claiming that the when the actor was cycling on the road, he got into a scuffle and snatched the latter's phone.

The Magistrate Court had earlier sought a report from the D.N. Nagar police station where the complaint was filed against Khan and his bodyguard Nawaz Shaikh.

Based on the "positive police report" under CrPC Sec. 202 and other material, the Magistrate found there was sufficient ground to proceed against the actor.

In March last year, the Magistrate observed that offences were made out against the accused (Khan) under IPC Sec. 504 and 506 and summoned him to remain personally present in court on April 5, 2022.

The Bollywood star challenged the Magistrate's order in the high court which stayed the order in April 2022, and also sought for quashing the complaint lodged against him, said his lawyer Aabad Ponda.

Ponda and his team of Agsthya Desai and Vikram Sutari of DSK Legal, contended that Khan had only asked his bodyguards to stop the journalist from shooting videos/photos of him at that time

Allowing Khan's plea, Justice Dangre quashed the 2019 complaint and also the Magistrate's summons issued against the actor and his bodyguard for personal appearance.