Last Updated:
A local court criticized Malaika Arora for skipping multiple summons in a 2012 hotel brawl case. She was warned of a non-bailable warrant if she misses the July 9 hearing.
After Malaika Arora skips Saif Ali Khan’s brawl case again, court sends her a warning.
A local court has pulled up actor Malaika Arora for skipping multiple summons in a long-pending 2012 hotel brawl case involving Saif Ali Khan. The judge observed that Arora seemed to be deliberately dodging court appearances and issued a stern warning, stating that a non-bailable warrant could be the next step if she fails to show up again. This was marked as her final opportunity to comply with the legal process.
The court expressed displeasure after Malaika Arora failed to appear on April 29, despite a bailable warrant already being issued against her just days earlier.
The court observed that Malaika Arora was “intentionally” avoiding proceedings, despite being aware of the summons. She had been part of the group dining with Saif Ali Khan at a five-star hotel on February 22, 2012, the night of the alleged brawl. A bailable warrant had already been issued, directing her to appear on April 29. However, when she failed to show up, the court took note that only her advocate was present, prompting Chief Judicial Magistrate K S Zanwar to issue a strong warning.
“Despite the knowledge, she is trying to avoid the court proceeding intentionally,” the court said.
Granting Malaika Arora one final opportunity, the court has now scheduled the next hearing for July 9. It warned that if the actor fails to appear on that date, a non-bailable warrant will be issued against her. Earlier, the court had issued a bailable warrant on February 15, which was re-issued on April 8 after Arora again failed to appear.
Back in 2012, Saif Ali Khan and two others were arrested after a complaint was filed by NRI businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma. The alleged brawl took place at a five-star hotel, where Saif was dining with Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, and a few friends. According to the police, Sharma objected to the loud conversation at Saif’s table, which reportedly led to the actor threatening him and then allegedly punching him in the nose, resulting in a fracture.
The case took a more serious turn when the complainant, NRI businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma, also accused Saif Ali Khan and his friends of assaulting his father-in-law, Raman Patel. Saif, however, has maintained that it was Sharma who provoked the situation by making offensive remarks and using abusive language towards the women at their table. The actor, along with his two friends, Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi, has been charge-sheeted under Section 325 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
(With inputs from PTI)