Mumbai: The Wankhede Stadium brawl has returned to haunt Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, with Maharashtra Child Rights panel asking the police to register an FIR against him for hurling abuses in front of children "which shall cause mental suffering" to them.
In an order dated March 18, Secretary of the Maharashtra Commission for Protection of Child Rights A N Tripathi directed the police to probe the matter and submit a report after registering an FIR under the relevant provisions of IPC and Juvenile Justice Act. "Using filthy and abusive language before children shall cause mental suffering and also amounts to attack on honour of children. At the time of incident Shah Rukh Khan had actual charge and control over children accompanying him," the panel said, adding the incident constituted violation of child rights.
Thus, this Commission can take cognisance of this matter under Section 13(1)0 of Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, the order said. "Section 23 of Juvenile Justice Act is attracted in this matter and prima facie it is established that rights of child have been violated. Hence registering an FIR is mandatory under the relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code and Juvenile Justice Act," the Commission said.
The order came on a complaint filed by social activist Amit Maru through his lawyer Y P Singh saying Khan had used abusive language in front of a large number of children, who accompanied him to the Wankhede Stadium for an IPL cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians. In his complaint, Maru said the actor had "harmed and corrupted" the minds of children by uttering "filthy and dirty" abuses in public.
He had listed seven cognisable offences against Khan and sought a direction to register an FIR against him. The May 16, 2012 incident had attracted nation-wide attention after being shown on TV. Khan had allegedly engaged in a brawl with the security personnel at the stadium after his team Kolkata Knight Rider's victory over the home team. The actor had, however, denied he had fought with the security staff and claimed one of them had, in fact, pushed the children after which he shouted at him "Don't touch them, Don't push them."
The Commission also recommended that an inquiry should be instituted against police officials for not having filed an FIR so far. Following the incident, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had imposed a five year ban on Shahrukh, forbidding him from entering the Wankhede Stadium. The ban was revoked last year upon the insistence of IPL Chairman Ranjib Biswal.
