Bollywood star's 'casteist remark' hearing adjourned

Rajasthan High Court adjourned the hearing of a plea filed by Bollywood actor Salman Khan seeking quashing of FIRs filed against him for allegedly making a casteist remark against the Valmiki community on a TV show in 2017.

Jodhpur (Rajasthan): The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a plea filed by Bollywood actor Salman Khan seeking quashing of FIRs filed against him for allegedly making a casteist remark against the Valmiki community on a TV show in 2017.

Allowing the prayer of Khan's counsel, Justice Sandeep Mehta listed the matter for hearing after eight weeks, until a similar petition pending before the Supreme Court is decided.

Khan's counsel Nishant Bora said two complaints had been filed in Jodhpur and Churu districts against Khan alleging that he had hurt the sentiments of Scheduled Castes by using a derogatory term for the community on a TV talk show during the promotion of his film ''Tiger Zinda Hai'' in 2017.

"We had moved the high court with a prayer to quash these FIRs in Rajasthan. The court had allowed the petition and had stayed investigation into both these FIRs," he said.

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"The matter was listed for hearing today. We apprised the court that a similar petition is pending before the Supreme Court and prayed not to proceed with the hearing in the matter until the petition before the apex court is decided," he said.

Bora said about half a dozen similar FIRs had been filed against Khan in the matter in different states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, etc. and he had moved the Supreme Court with a prayer to quash these FIRs.

PTI