Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar was issued a summons by a Mumbai Court on Tuesday, December 14, over his alleged remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) made during a television interview last year.
The lawyer, Santosh Dubey, in October last year filed a complaint against the 77-year-old lyricist-poet before the metropolitan magistrate court at suburban Mulund under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation), reported IndiaTVNews.
In his TV interview, Akhtar had allegedly drawn comparisons between Taliban and Hindu extremists in the backdrop of the radical outfit seizing power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
The complaint was lodged by a former Rajya Sabha member, who is claimed to be an RSS supporter, and alleged that RSS was unnecessarily dragged with a view to score political points, unnecessarily dragged the name of the Nagpur-headquartered organisation in the row and defamed it in a "calculated and well-planned manner".
An IndiaTVNews quoted Santosh Dubey who alleged that the statement was made during the interview and it was a "well planned" move to defame the RSS as well as to "discourage and misguide people" who have joined the organisation or would like to join it.
Upon hearing the brief argument and on perusal of documents on record, metropolitan magistrate P K Raut issued a process (summons) to Akhtar. The matter was adjourned to February 6, the date on which Akhtar has to appear in court, said the complainant.
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