A Mumbai court on Monday instructed local police to investigate a defamation and criminal intimidation complaint filed by freelance reporter Mohsin Shaikh against Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon. The complaint stems from a road rage incident video posted by Shaikh, which he claims involved the actor. The police have been directed to submit their findings by January 3, 2025.
Shaikh lodged his complaint in a magistrate court in Borivli, Mumbai, under sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. He alleges that Tandon defamed him following the circulation of a video on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where a man accused Tandon’s driver of hitting his mother during a road incident in Bandra. The video further claimed that Tandon assaulted the man’s mother when confronted.
Tandon, through her legal representation, countered by labeling Shaikh as an extortionist and demanded the removal of the video, asserting that it misrepresented the facts. According to Tandon’s lawyer, subsequent police investigations revealed that the actor’s car was not involved in any collision.
Despite the police findings, Shaikh maintained in his complaint that his video, posted on June 2, 2024, was a result of responsible journalism and adherence to social duties. He argued that the video was produced following high standards of social ethics.
However, the situation escalated when Tandon sent Shaikh a defamation notice, demanding Rs 100 crores in damages. Shaikh described this action as a baseless attempt to intimidate and financially burden him under the pretext of legal proceedings.
Further, Shaikh accused Tandon and her supporters of initiating a smear campaign against him, leading to multiple defamatory posts across various social media platforms. He alleges that Tandon and her associate have committed offenses under IPC sections 500, 504, and 506, which include defamation, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation.
