Lawyer moved the court on behalf of Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) had pleaded that he was not responsible for the ruckus that took place at the Vadodara railway station on January 23.
The story
An interim stay was put by The Gujarat High Court yesterday on the criminal proceedings against superstar Shah Rukh Khan for his alleged culpability in triggering a melee at Vadodara railway station while promoting his film ‘Raees,’ and in that situation a man had died of heart attack.
Justice A J Desai (rpt A J Desai) granted the relief to the superstar and also stayed the Vadodara court summons to him on July 23, seeking his presence before it to answer the charges of his culpability in the matter in issue.
The high court fixed September 25 as the next date to hear his plea thereafter granting an interim stay on proceedings against Shah Rukh Khan.
On the plea of a local resident Jitendra Solanki, Vadodara court had issued summons to Khan last week seeking its direction to the police to lodge an FIR against him.
Jitendra Solanki had earlier approached the police for lodging of an FIR against Khan under sections 336, 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code, but the police had refused to lodge FIR on his complaint. Under section 204 of the CrPC, the Vadodara court had issued summons to SRK and said that there were sufficient grounds for proceeding against him in the case.
Previously another summons had been stayed by The high court issued to Khan by the Government Railway Police in connection with the same case.
The GRP had also asked him to come to their office and record his statement.
The case in brief
According to the FIR, Shahrukh Khan was Travelling on a Train from Mumbai to Delhi, a huge crowd gathered to get a glimpse of Khan when the train reached the Vadodara railway station. During the promotion, Shah Rukh Khan threw t-shirts and waived his hand and balls among the people, because of which a a sudden panicked rush was caused and the police had to take the step to lathi-charge on the Public. Due to the stampede several people got injured, two policemen had fainted and one person had died during that event.
After the said incident took place, Jitendra Solanki, a Local Congressman, filed a complaint in the matter and thereafter the police lodged a case against Khan.
Cognizance was taken by The court, issued him summon to face charges under Sections 336, 337, and 338 of IPC and Sections 145, 150, 152, 154 and 155 (1) (a) of the Railways Act, 1989. Subsequently to this respect, Shah Rukh Khan through his privileges and his army of advocates approached the High Court for quashing of the FIR. The High Court stayed the trial in July 2017.
At present on February 17, 2022, the hearing of the matter is before the Court, and here Khan’s counsel argued that he didn’t enter the platform of the railway station and he only waived his hand and threw t-shirts, balls among the public which can’t be charged with any culpable act. Further, it was also put forth before the court that the person who died during the stampede was a heart patient and passed away due to some other reasons.
Court’s observations
The Court, At its outset, asked the advocate in counsel for the petitioner’s side as to what would happen if Khan is asked to face the trial. The Court said jokingly that If he wanted the trial to take place with regard to the alleged offence, then imagine the kind of chaos that would have caused, do you want that?.
The appearing council on behalf of SRK said that he will ask him (Khan) to send an apology letter to the petitioner and thereafter putting an end to this matter. The Court observed as it adjourned the matter for further hearing on February 24.
Edited by- Subbuthai Padma
Published by- Radhika. N
