The Rajasthan High Court has quashed an FIR filed in 2017 at Churu Kotwali related to a 2013 television interview featuring Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty. The FIR accused the actress of using the word “Bhangi,” allegedly offending the Valmiki community.
The single-judge bench of Justice Arun Monga ruled earlier this week that there was no evidence suggesting that the actress intended to humiliate the Valmiki community. Additionally, the court noted that the FIR, filed under the SC-ST Act, was time-barred, exceeding the three-year limitation period.
Furthermore, the judge observed that the specific provisions of the SC-ST Act cited in the FIR were not in effect at the time of the alleged remarks during the interview. Consequently, the court quashed FIR No. 258/2017, registered on December 22, 2017, at Churu Kotwali.