RSS remarks case: Lyricist Javed Akhtar acquitted as complainant withdraws case

Javed Akhtar acquitted in defamation case against RSS after complainant withdraws, court disposes of the case.

A Mumbai court has acquitted veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar in a defamation case against him over his alleged objectionable remarks on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as the complainant has withdrawn the case.

Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mulund, S.D. Chakkar, on November 8 disposed of the case as withdrawn. A copy of the order was made available on Monday (November 18, 2024).

Advocate Santosh Dubey, who claims to be an RSS supporter, filed a complaint against Akhtar before the magistrate court in October 2021 for the offences under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

He had alleged that Mr. Akhtar in a television interview unnecessarily dragged the name of the RSS and defamed the Nagpur-based organisation in a "calculated and well planned move".

As per the complaint, Mr. Akhtar, in the TV interview, had allegedly drawn parallels between the Taliban and Hindu extremists in the backdrop of the radical outfit seizing power in Afghanistan.

However, Mr. Dubey recently filed another plea before the magistrate to withdraw the complaint against Mr. Akhtar.

The complainant told the court that the "matter is settled between the parties in mediation" and therefore, he "does not want to prosecute the accused".