JULY 8- A social activist has filed a complaint in a local court seeking action against Bollywood actor Salman Khan for launching a website with information on the 2002 hit-and-run case involving him, alleging that it was contempt of court.
According to the complaint, the website, www.salmankhanfiles.com, was launched by the actor recently.
A Mumbai sessions court ruled last month that the actor must be tried for culpable homicide not amounting for murder in the case — a serious charge under IPC which attracts 10 years’ punishment in jail.
“When the case is underway and matter sub-judice, how can he use Internet to spread information about the proceedings?” activist Hemant Patil asked in his complaint filed yesterday, according to his lawyer Wajid Khan.
Patil claimed said that the Bandra police station refused to register a complaint against Salman in this regard and hence he decided to move the magistrate’s court.
The complaint alleged that Salman is using a website to spread information about the court proceedings and inviting comments from the general public when his hit-and-run case and other cases are still subjudice.
This is also a violation of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, the complaint alleged.
The magistrate has accepted Patil’s complaint and scheduled it for hearing on August 5.
Patil has contended that this attempt of actor may prejudice the mind of court which has yet not delivered its final verdict in the case.
The dates of the posts on the website indicate that the website was being updated from May 2, 2013.
The website primarily displays the bare written orders issued by the Bandra Metropolitan court as well as the June 24 order of sessions judge UB Hejib, which ordered that Salman should be retried for the graver charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
The June 24 order was a major setback to the actor, who was earlier tried by Bandra metropolitan magistrate court for a lesser charge of rash and negligent act causing death, under section 304 A of IPC. The charge is punishable with two years’ imprisonment.
From July 19 onwards, Salman would be tried under section 304 (ii) of the IPC, which carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail.
Patil has pointed out the case of Anuja Parbu Desai v/s State of Goa in which court had made certain observations to maintain the dignity of the court. This act of the actor is also an attempt to interfere in the judicial system of the country, he argued.
On September 28, 2002, the actor had allegedly rammed his car into a bakery shop in suburban Bandra killing one person and injuring four others.
INDIA TODAY
