FIR filed against Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar over RSS comments

Mumbai police registered an FIR against Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar on October 4 over his alleged defamatory remarks against the pro-Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to reports.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the Mulund police station based on a complaint filed by lawyer Santosh Dubey. He sent a legal notice to Akhtar for making “false and defamatory” remarks against the RSS in an interview to a news channel, and sought an apology from him over it. Akhtar compared the RSS to Taliban in that interview.

According to PTI, Dubey in his notice had claimed that by making such statements amounted to an offence under IPC Sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation).

In November, RSS worker Vivek Champanerkar also filed a defamation suit against Akhtar for his alleged comparison of RSS and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) with the Taliban.

A civil defamation suit has also been filed by the RSS activist through Advocate Aditya Mishra and Advocate Swapnil Kale at Thane civil court.

Akthar is a renowned Indian poet, lyricist, screen writer, and political activist. Recently, he courted controversy when he moved an application for an arrest warrant to be issued against Kangana Ranaut over a defamation case. In turn, Ranaut has filed a complaint against Akhtar for extortion and threatening her.