More than two years after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his friends allegedly assaulted South Africa-based businessman of Indian origin Iqbal Sharma and his father-in-law Ramanbhai Patel inside Wasabi restaurant in Taj Mahal Hotel in South Mumbai, a Mumbai court on Thursday framed charges against him and two of his friends.
Saif and two of his friends, Shakeel ladak and Bilal Amrohi, were present in the Esplanade Court when the magistrate framed charges against the trio under Sections 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly assaulting Sharma and his 68-year-old father-in-law Patel on February 22, 2012. After the magistrate read out the charges to Saif and two of his friends, the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges, thus setting the stage for their trial.
The prosecution will now present evidence against them before the court at the next hearing, scheduled for April 30.
The city police had, on December 21, 2012, filed a chargesheet against Saif and his two friends. In their charge-sheet, the police framed a case against Saif and two of his associates, based on the statements made by 29 persons, including the hotel staff members and those present at the time of incident.
Son of the late Nawab of Pataudi and yesteryear actress Sharmila Tagore, Saif, was arrested in the wee hours of February 22, 2012.
Actress and Saif’s then living-in partner and now wife Kareena Kapoor and her actress-sister Karishma Kapoor, item queen of Bollywood Malaika Arora Khan, her sister Amrita Arora were among those present at the Taj restaurant, when the brawl between the Saif group and businessman Iqbal Sharma allegedly took place.
In his complaint, Sharma had alleged that he took strong exception to the loud conversation between Saif and “10 to 12” members, including Kareena, Karishma and Malaika.
An irate Saif threatened Sharma first and later punched the latter in the nose, fracturing it. Sharma had also charged that Saif and friends had assaulted his father-in-law Patel.
At that time, Sharma and his wife Tarina Patel were celebrating their marriage anniversary along with his father-in-law Ramanbhai Patel, other family members and friends at the hotel.
After the incident created a sensation in tinsel town, the actor and two other arrested under Section 325 of the IPC (assault) — a Section that provides for a maximum punishment of seven years and fine. However, three were released on bail bond of Rs3,000 and a surety of Rs15,000 each.
On his part, Saif tendered an apology for the brawl at Wasabi restaurant. He added that the incident was a “public stunt” ahead of his then to-be released film “Agent Vinod.”