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Synopsis

A single judge bench comprising Justice Bharati Dangre of the Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed the criminal proceedings against Bollywood actor Salman Khan for allegedly intimidating a journalist in 2019. 

The journalist had accused Khan of assaulting him and seizing his phone while the actor was cycling on the streets of Mumbai. The Magistrate Court had found enough evidence to summon Khan, who then approached the High Court and obtained a stay order. 

Khan's counsel had argued that he had only instructed his bodyguards to prevent the journalist from taking photos/videos of him. It was also argued that there were significant discrepancies in the journalist's statement, suggesting that the complaint was baseless.

The complainant's lawyer had argued that the journalist had not mentioned the actor's name in the complaint due to the trauma caused by the incident. The journalist claimed that Khan entered into an argument with him and threatened him.

During the earlier hearing, Justice Bharti Dangre had remarked that all individuals, including actors, lawyers, and judges, must respect people's privacy and follow the law. She had stated that no one is above the law, and actors and press people are also required to comply with legal requirements.

While quashing the case, the court pointed out that the journalist's statement had changed considerably over time. Initially, he had only mentioned that his phone was snatched, but later, when he filed a complaint before the magistrate, he alleged that he was also assaulted by Khan, court pointed out. 

Case title: Salman Khan@ Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan vs State of Maharashtra & Anr