Complainant withdraws rash driving case against actor Prateik

A complaint of rash driving lodged against Prateik Babbar here in Goa was withdrawn within 24 hours of filing on Thursday, after the complainant and the Bollywood actor reached an "amicable settlement", the police said.

The actor has also withdrawn a cross complaint he had filed against the man, identified as Paulo Correa, a police official said this evening.

Both the complaints were filed at Porvorim police station Wednesday night.

No FIR was registered against either of them, the official added.

A case of rash driving under the Motor Vehicles Act was lodged against Prateik Babbar after his car allegedly dashed Correa's scooter on the Panaji-Mapusa highway Wednesday evening, the police had said.

After the mishap, an altercation ensued between Babbar and Correa, who alleged that the actor abused him in front of his sister who was riding pillion, police said.

Babbar, on his part, filed a complaint against Correa, alleging that the latter had smashed his car's window-shield, police said.

Babbar Thursday submitted an affidavit to Porvorim police informing them that Correa had withdrawn the case, the official said.

"I have to state that Paulo Correa and myself have amicably settled the dispute and in view thereof we do not wish to prosecute or proceed with the said complaint or any other proceedings arising from the aforesaid accident," stated the affidavit.

Correa too submitted a similar affidavit stating that he was withdrawing the case, the official said.

Porvorim police inspector Paresh Naik said both the parties have filed the affidavits and withdrawn the cases against each other.

Police were investigating whether the actor, who is in his early 30's, was driving under influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

A police official had said a probe was on to check whether Babbar could also be booked under IPC sections, as Correa had accused the actor of threatening him.

Earlier in the day, Babbar had refused to give his blood sample for analysis when he was taken to the state-run Asilo Hospital in Mapusa town.

Prateik, the son of actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar and his wife late Smita Patil, has worked in films like "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na", "Dhobi Ghat", "Dum Maro Dum" and "My Friend Pinto".