Javed Akhtar Cleared of Defamation Charges as RSS Supporter Drops Case

A Mumbai court has acquitted veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar in a defamation case brought against him over his alleged objectionable comments about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), following the complainant's decision to withdraw the case.

On November 8, Judicial Magistrate (First Class) of Mulund, S.D. Chakkar, disposed of the case after it was formally withdrawn. A copy of the court order was made available on Monday.

The case was initially filed in October 2021 by Advocate Santosh Dubey, who identifies as an RSS supporter. Dubey had lodged a complaint before the magistrate, accusing Akhtar of offences under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

The complaint alleged that Akhtar, during a television interview, had deliberately dragged the name of the RSS into the conversation, thereby defaming the Nagpur-based organisation in a “calculated and well-planned manner.” According to the complaint, Akhtar had drawn comparisons between the Taliban and Hindu extremists, in the context of the radical group’s takeover of Afghanistan.

However, Dubey recently filed another plea before the magistrate to withdraw the complaint against Akhtar.The complainant told the court that the “matter is settled between the parties in mediation” and therefore, he “does not want to prosecute the accused”.