Source Bar and Bench
MUMBAI — In a significant legal development, a Mumbai court has granted relief to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan by dismissing a defamation complaint filed against him by filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap.
The court’s decision marks the end of a long-standing legal tussle between the actor and the Dabangg director, providing Khan with a clean slate regarding these specific allegations.
Background of the Dispute
The friction between the two industry heavyweights dates back several years. Abhinav Kashyap, who directed the 2010 blockbuster Dabangg, had publicly leveled serious allegations against Salman Khan and his family members, Arbaaz and Sohail Khan.
Kashyap claimed that the Khan family had systematically sabotaged his career and intimidated him following the success of their first collaboration. In response to these public statements, legal volleys were exchanged, leading to the defamation proceedings in the Mumbai magistrate’s court.
The Court’s Ruling
After reviewing the merits of the case and the evidence presented, the court found insufficient grounds to proceed with the defamation charges against Khan. Key takeaways from the session included:
Lack of Substantive Evidence: The court noted that the allegations did not meet the necessary legal threshold for criminal defamation.
Procedural Relief: With the dismissal of the complaint, Salman Khan is no longer required to appear before the court regarding this specific matter.
Family Impact: The relief extends a sense of closure to the Khan family, who had collectively denied Kashyap’s claims of “bullying” and “career sabotage.”
Industry Impact
While Salman Khan has remained largely silent on the matter in recent months, focusing instead on his upcoming film projects, the ruling is seen as a major win for his legal team. Kashyap, on the other hand, has yet to issue a formal statement regarding whether he intends to challenge the dismissal in a higher court.
