Javed Akhtar was summoned by the Mulund Court in Mumbai on Thursday, April 20. However, the lyricist failed to appear. His lawyer informed the court about the same following which the court issued a fresh summons against Akhtar. He has now been asked to appear on June 20, 2023.
Why Is Mumbai Court Summoning Javed Akhtar?
This is in connection with a defamation case that was filed against Akhtar by a Mumbai-based lawyer, Santosh Dubey after he made comparisons between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the terror organization Taliban. Reportedly, Dubey sent a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to Akhtar for allegedly making “false and defamatory" remarks and damaging “the image and dignity of the RSS". Besides this, the lawyer had also asked for a written apology from Akhtar.
What Did Javed Akhtar Say In September 2021 Interview?
As reported by DNA, in an interview dated September 2021, Javed Akhtar made a controversial statement when he said that ‘the Taliban are barbaric, and their actions are reprehensible, but those supporting the RSS, VHP, and Bajrang Dal are all the same’.
In March this year, Javed Akhtar had also filed a plea in a Mumbai court challenging the summons issued against him in the defamation case. The lyricist claimed that the complainant i.e lawyer Dubey had no locus standi and had not placed any authorisation letter on record to show that he was empowered by the RSS to file the defamation complaint. However, Akhtar’s plea was rejected by the court.
Javed Akhtar is a renowned Bollywood writer and lyricist who is known for films like Lagaan, Om Shanti Om, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara among others. He recently courted controversy over his comments about the 26/11 terror attacks. During an event in Lahore, when a journalist asked him to tell people in India that Pakistan is ‘a positive, friendly and loving country’, Akhtar reminded him about the 26/11 terror attacks.
