Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has been acquitted in a defamation case filed over his remarks comparing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The case was withdrawn by the complainant, who decided not to pursue the matter further. Akhtar’s comments, made during a television interview in 2021, sparked controversy and led to legal action from an RSS supporter who alleged that the remarks were defamatory.
He had claimed in a television appearance that Akhtar had made a “calculated and well-planned move” by unnecessarily dragging the name of the RSS and disparaging the Nagpur-based group. at October 2021, advocate Santosh Dubey, claiming to be an RSS follower, filed a complaint against Akhtar at the magistrate’s court, alleging violations of Indian Penal Code sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (penalty for defamation).
On November 8, S.D. Chakkar, Mulund’s judicial magistrate (first class), decided the case and declared it withdrawn.
The withdrawal marks the end of the legal proceedings against Akhtar in this case. His statements had previously drawn sharp reactions from various political and social groups. Akhtar’s legal team maintained that his comments were within the bounds of free expression, and the case’s conclusion is seen as a win for the screenwriter.
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