Bollywood actor Salman Khan found himself in a spot of bother on Tuesday, as a television journalist filed a criminal complaint against him and two of his associates before a suburban court here for alleged assault, threats, abuses and other charges.
In a criminal case filed against the Khan, his aide Vijay and other unknown person before the 10th Court at Andheri in north-west Mumbai, journalist Ashok S. Pandey, the Maharashtra head of channel JK 24 X 7 said that the incident took place in April this year when he and cameraman were filming the actor cycling along the route between Juhu and Kandivli.
After allowing the journalist and his cameraman shoot the actor riding the cycle, the actor, Vijay and unknown associate assaulted him, heaped abuses on him, snatched away his mobile phone and threatened the journalist with dire consequences.
Talking to The Pioneer, Pandey’s lawyer Neeraj Gupta said, “The matter will come up for hearing on July 12. At the hearing, the court will decide on whether to order an investigation into the complaint or issue summons to the accused”.
The journalist has lodged the criminal complaint against Khan and two of his colleagues under sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 392 (punishment for robbery), 426 (punishment for mischief), 506-II (Punishment for criminal intimidation) read with section 34 ( Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of Indian Penal Code.
In his complaint filed through his lawyer, Pandey said that the incident took place at 4.40 pm on April 24, 2019 was travelling from Juhu to Kandivili along with his cameraman. He saw the actor riding a bicycle en route.
Since the sight could be used as story for his television channel, he sought and obtained permission from the actor’s aides began filming it. Before long, Khan noticed the cameraman filming his bicycle ride, leading to the actor’s aides pouncing the complainant’s car, assaulting, abusing and threatening him and his colleague, the journalist alleged.
Among other things, Pandey alleged in his complainant that despite his identifying himself as a journalist, the actor not only abused and assaulted him, but also took away his mobile. “The actor tried to break the mobile and also deleted many applications and important data of the complainant from the said mobile,” the complaint said.
The complainant stated that when started heading towards DN Road police station to lodge a complaint against the actor and two others, Khan’s aides came and returned his mobile. He urged the court to rely on the video recording of the incident made by him.