SC stays cases against Salman Khan for 'derogatory' remarks against a community

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan today got relief from the Supreme Court which stayed criminal proceedings and enquiries against him for alleged derogatory remarks against 'Valmiki' community members during the promotion of his film 'Tiger Zinda Hai'.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said as an interim measure the criminal proceedings and enquiries initiated on the basis of FIRs lodged against the petitioner (Khan) in various states shall remain stayed.

During the hearing, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the actor, said that some six-seven criminal cases had been lodged against him at Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai.

The bench asked Kaul to provide specific details of the cases pending against Khan and observed that it was a poorly drafted petition.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Rajasthan said he was aware of the factual matrix of the case and would like to file a reply till April 27.

He said that as far as case in Rajasthan was concerned, the high court was already seized of the matter and had stayed the proceedings on the FIR.

The bench posted the matter for hearing after the summer vacation.

Khan had allegedly made some objectionable remarks against the community during the promotion of 'Tiger Zinda Hai' on a reality TV show and subsequently several proceedings were lodged against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On December 22 last year, an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was lodged in Rajasthan against the actor for allegedly using an offensive term to describe the community during the promotion of his film.

Khan had claimed that he was describing his own appearance in a dance sequence of the film.