On January 8, Bollywood actor and producer Kamaal R Khan, popularly known as KRK, approached the Bombay High Court, seeking to quash a 2017 First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Tamil actor Dhanush. KRK’s petition, represented by advocate Sana Raees Khan, argues that the FIR was registered by a non-aggrieved party and has called for an expedited hearing, which is set to be requested on the coming Monday.
The controversy stems from a tweet in 2017, where KRK allegedly disparaged Dhanush’s appearance and shared an inappropriate image involving the actor and a co-star, leading to charges of ‘insulting the modesty of a woman.’ KRK has denied the existence of the tweet and decried the lack of evidence supporting the FIR. He highlighted a significant delay in the legal process, noting that the chargesheet has not been filed even after seven years, which he claims underscores his wrongful implication in the matter.
In his legal challenge, KRK asserted that the sections of the law under which he was booked do not pertain to the nature of the accusations against him. He emphasized that such FIRs should be initiated by the aggrieved party or someone close to them, making the current charges legally unsustainable.
Further defending his actions under the right to free speech guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, KRK argued that the alleged tweet should not be considered a criminal offense. Citing the protracted delay and absence of conclusive evidence, he requested the court to dismiss the FIR and halt all subsequent legal actions until the issue is resolved.
