Salman Khan Demands Apology From ANI News, Lawyer Of Men Who Fired Outside His Bungalow For Linking Him To D-Company

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has sought an apology from news broadcasting agency Asia News International (ANI) and also the legal team of the two accused booked in the firing case outside the actor's house, for defaming the actor by publishing an objectionable news article claiming that he has "known relations" with underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim's group “D-Company.”

In a legal notice sent through law firm DSK Legal, Khan has taken exception to the news article published by ANI on its website and supplied to other news portals and channels, wherein the news agency has taken a short interview/byte of advocate Amit Mishra.

Mishra represents accused Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal in the firing case outside Khan's Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai's plush Bandra area.

The news article published on September 4 quotes Mishra's claim that his clients have been threatened by D-Company members and thus they have sought police protection. The counsel further first on to state that the victim in the case, i.e. Khan, has "known links" with a gangster and perhaps he wants to get the two (Pal & Gupta) killed.

The legal notice states, "Our client (Khan) denies all the allegations made by Mishra against him in the Impugned Article and our client states that the allegations therein are absolutely false, baseless, malicious, grossly defamatory/derogatory, misleading, damaging and are made with an intent to malign the image and goodwill of our client before the public at large, which our client has painstakingly developed by him over the years. Our client states that in fact he is a victim of the criminal act that was perpetrated upon him by certain individuals. Our client states that he is absolutely not concerned with the accused persons in any manner whatsoever."

The allegations, Khan has said, are totally misguided, misconceived and misplaced and that Mishra and ANI, by making such defamatory statements, are only trying to stir up controversy and make headlines to grab the attention of the media and the general public, at the cost of his goodwill and reputation.

"Our client states that the same is nothing but a tactic to gather sympathy from the public at large, and to distract their attention from the matter at hand. He states that the allegations made against him have no shred of truth and have been made with an intent to defame, malign and harm the reputation and goodwill of our client and to lower the moral and intellectual character of our client before the public at large and bring him to the ridicule," the notice reads.

The legal notice further points out that the allegations of Mishra, which are prominently published by the ANI, clearly amount to a criminal offence under section 356 (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and is also a civil act of tortuous wrong and defamation.

Therefore, Khan has demanded an unconditional apology by the ANI and also Mishra, which he has said, must be published prominently in some significant newspapers within 48 hours. He has also demanded the news agency to pull down the said news article as early as possible and desist from making such comments in future.

"Needless to state that if you fail to comply with the aforesaid within 48 hours of receipt of this notice, our client shall be constrained to initiate appropriate criminal and/or civil legal proceedings against you and all concerned, which will be at your sole risks as to costs and consequences thereof, which you may kindly note," the notice adds.