HC restrains KRK from making derogatory comments against Vashu Bhagnani

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has censured actor Kamal Rashik Khan for his controversial and defamatory tweets against producer Vashu Bhagnani, his family, business, and his profession as well as all his projects.

KRK, as Khan prefers calling himself, has been barred by the court from putting out any further tweets against Bhagnani and his business interests till the pendency of the Rs. 1 crore defamation suit filed by the producer for defamatory, "slanderous", and "distasteful" statements as well as "patently false allegations" on KRK's Twitter and YouTube accounts.

As per a court order issued on Friday, an injunction has been issued, pending the final disposal of the suit, that in simple terms, prohibits "the defendant from publishing, circulating or repeating the allegations and tweets and/or making, publishing, circulating and/or communicating to the public any defamatory/slanderous comments and/or statements against the plaintiff and/or his family and/or his business, profession and/or his projects".

Ameet Naik of Naik Naik and Company, who represented Bhagnani in the case, said in a statement: "Social media is a very powerful tool, which on many occasions is misused to defame reputed persons. Courts have time and again deprecated such misuse. This is yet another occasion where the Hon'ble Bombay High Court has passed an order restraining Kamaal Khan from making slanderous and defamatory remarks against Mr. Vashu Bhagnani, his family members, his business, and his projects. This is the third order of Bombay High Court against Mr. Khan in succession."

After hearing the matter at length, the court observed that the tweets are not in the nature of criticism given by a film critic, which is contrary to the defence of KRK, who also functions as a film critic, and are in the nature of serious defamatory and slanderous remarks made against Bhagnani, his family members, his business, profession and his projects.

The court's actions came soon after KRK made light of the suit and put out a fresh series of slanderous tweets against the Bhagnanis. The producer was represented in court by advocates Ameet Naik,Virendra Tulzapurkar, Rashmin Khandekar, and Madhu Gadodia.