Saif Ali Khan hasn’t been in the limelight of late. I mean, apart from all his movie bombing at the box office, there isn’t much of a scene for him. This is especially true after his punchgate happened; Saif took to the backfoot and has been maintaining a low key ever since.
Khan appeared in Mumbai’s Qila court on Thursday in the assault case trial in which he was accused of punching an NRI businessman. The court has referred the matter for mediation after consent from both the parties.
Quick Recap
Saif allegedly punched South African businessman Iqbal Sharma at Wasabi, the restaurant at Mumbai’s Taj Hotel, in February 2012. The actor was at the eatery having dinner with his now-wife Kareena Kapoor, her sister Karisma Kapoor, actors Malaika Arora Khan, Amrita Arora and Amrita’s husband Shakeel Ladak.
According to the police, when Sharma protested the raucous chatter of the actor and his friends, Saif allegedly threatened him 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 (including his wife, actor Kareena Kapoor and her sister Karishma) which led to a spat.
A local metropolitan magistrate court in the first week of April, gave “a last chance” to actor Saif Ali Khan to appear before the court on the next date of hearing.
The court has framed charges against them under Sections 325 (assault) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code. However, they have pleaded innocence.