Read Time: 04 minutes
The plea filed by Khan stated that as a journalist and critic, he had only given his views on the movie and that other than Khan there are newspapers that carry reviews given by the experts
Kamal R. Khan, a film actor and critic, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against him for providing a critical review of the Hindi movie "Laxmii."
A division bench of the Bombay High Court, comprising Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice RN Laddha, has asked the state government to respond to Khan's plea.
Khan was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A, 294, 500, 501, and 505. The FIR against him was lodged in 2020.
In his plea, Khan argued that the complaint was made by one Rahul Kanan, who had affiliations with Shiv Sena, and the FIR was filed against him solely because Khan had contested elections against Kanan.
“The Petitioner states that however, even if the entire FIR is taken as it is, the same do not disclose any offence committed by the Petitioner. The Petitioner states that the said FIR is purely an abuse of process of law in all respect. The Petitioner states that possibly, only because the Petitioner had contested the elections against the candidate of the said political party having necessary arrangement with another political party, it seems that the Petitioner has been booked into the said FIR,” the plea states.
In his plea seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against him, Kamal R. Khan emphasized that he had merely expressed his views as a journalist and critic regarding the movie "Laxmii."
He also stated that he was not aware of any chargesheet being filed in connection with the FIR lodged against him.
The petition further highlighted that apart from Khan, various newspapers publish reviews given by experts, indicating that film critique is a common practice in the industry.
“The Petitioner in his routine course of his profession and as a journalist, have been giving his reviews in respect of various films and film personalities and as such, no fault could be found in respect thereof. The Petitioner states that otherwise also, even if any newspaper is taken, every newspaper carries such review being given by the experts,” the plea reads.
Case title: Mr. Mohammad Rashid Kamal @Kamal R. Khan vs State of Maharashtra & Anr.
Please Login or Register
