In a detailed order following a complaint by Kangana Ranaut, the magistrate’s court in Bombay has dropped charges relating to extortion against veteran writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar. Kangana’s charges relating to criminal intimidation, and use of word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman have been admitted.
The magistrate said that no case was made out against the accused for extortion-related offences as asking a person to give a written apology would not come under the definition of “valuable security”. The extortion charge is defined as “whoever intentionally puts any person in fear of any injury and dishonestly induced in fear to deliver any property or valuable security”.
Javed Akhtar has been asked to appear before the court of metropolitan magistrate R.M. Shaikh on August 5. The order was pronounced on July 24 but the detailed order copy was made available on July 26.
Kangana Ranaut had accused Javed Akhtar of extortion and criminal intimidation, among other charges. She claimed that Akhtar had called her to his house and threatened her to issue a written apology to Hrithik Roshan in a long-standing dispute between the two actors. She also alleged that Akhtar attacked her moral character by “imputing unchastity” on her as well as by intentionally insulting her modesty and by intruding her privacy and commenting on her personal relationship with co-star Hrithik.