Mumbai court summons TV Actress Payal Rohatgi for allegedly posting 'malicious content'

A criminal revision application was filed against TV actress Payal Rohatgi before Dindoshi court in Andheri over her comment provoking Hindu-Muslim fights, disrespecting religion and breaking integrity/unity of the country. The court has summoned the actress on March 28.

Payal Rohatgi has often landed herself in trouble because of her overly outspoken nature and once again the actress has invited trouble for herself by posting malicious content and promoting enmity between different religious groups. 

Criminal revision application filed by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan

A criminal revision application filed before court by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan alleged that the actress 'has indulged in unlawful, illegal and criminal acts willingly by maliciously spreading/promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony in the country by way of mischievously and spitefully posting derogatory and defamatory posts with an intent to outrage religious feelings of a class by insulting its religion or religious feelings/sentiments'.

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Speaking to Republic TV, Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan said, "I had lodged a criminal complaint at the Oshiwara police station on 2nd August 2019 where the police despite taking my statement, did not register FIR citing elections, Diwali vacation, as a reason etc. Therefore I approached Magistrate court at Andheri directly by filing a private complaint to register FIR, the Magistrate court didn't take the evidence pen drive on record, didn't see the contents and passed an order stating accused has "freedom of speech". Which is nothing but absurd as otherwise, we didn't have sections 153A, 295A, 298 of the IPC. I, therefore, challenged the order in the sessions court and serviced the notice to Payal Rohatgi through Whatsapp".

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He further added, "I told the same thing to sessions court and therefore now the said court has issued summons of appearance to Payal Rohatgi on 28/3/2020. Moreover, she blocked me on Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp when I intimated her about the criminal case filed against her, despite that she has been continuously provoking enmity amongst religious groups which shouldn't be tolerated at all."

Earlier before the court, a complaint has been submitted against Payal Rohatgi for allegedly posting 'malicious content' on her social media profile in a bid to promote enmity between two groups on religious grounds. The letter submitted against her Instagram post of July 8 includes the content of the post referring to her comment on actor Zaira Wasim's decision to quit Bollywood.

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