Charges framed against Saif Ali Khan in assault case, pleads not-guilty

Two years after Saif Ali Khan allegedly assaulted a South African businessman and his father -in-law at a hotel here, a local court today framed charges against the actor and two others.

"The court today framed charges against Khan and his two friends -- Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi -- under sections 325 (assault) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code," public prosecutor Wajeed Sheikh said.

Advocate Sheikh further said that the court is likely to issue summons to witnesses including the complainant, and recording of evidence will commence thereafter. The case is likely to come up next on April 30.
Saif and the two co-accused pleaded not-guilty after the metropolitan magistrate's court read out the charges to them.

They were arrested following a complaint filed by the businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma after an alleged fight at the Wasabi restaurant inside Taj Hotel on February 22, 2012.

The trio was later released on bail.

Saif was accompanied by his wife and actor Kareena Kapoor, her sister Karishma Kapoor, Malaika Arora Khan, Amrita Arora and some male friends at the time.

According to police, when Sharma protested the raucous chatter of the actor and his friends, Saif allegedly threatened them and subsequently punched Sharma in the nose, fracturing it. The NRI businessman also accused Saif and his friends of hitting his father-in-law Raman Patel.

Saif, on the other hand, said that Sharma made provocative statements and used abusive language against the women accompanying him, which led to the ruckus.
The police had filed the charge sheet on December 21, 2012.