Mumbai: Justice CV Bhadang of the Bombay High Court said on Thursday that he will not be able to pronounce the order in the appeal filed by Bollywood actor Salman Khan in a defamation suit filed against his neighbour Ketan Kakkad as he was unable to complete writing the judgement before his retirement.
Khan’s appeal will have to be heard a new by another sitting judge once the high court reopens after Diwali vacation. Justice Bhadang is set to leave office on November 4.
On March 30, the Mumbai City Civil Court held that the allegations made by Kakkad, which the actor claimed were defamatory, were in fact deduced to be true. The lower court had also refused to restrain Kakkad from posting derogatory video posts against the actor.
Khan had challenged this order before the HC. Justice Bhadang had begun hearing Khan’s appeal in August. On October 11, he closed the matter for orders after the arguments were over.
Delayed due to vacation and administrative work
"Unfortunately, I am unable to complete the judgment." I tried my level best until last evening. But, unfortunately, there was vacation and then administrative work, and I had other assignments. "I will have to list this as part heard," said Justice Bhadang on Thursday.
He added, "I understand the apprehension of the parties and that substantial time and efforts went into this." I would have loved to decide this case either way. Unfortunately, this came at the frag end of my career.
Khan had filed a defamation suit against Kakkad
Khan had filed a defamation suit against Kakkad over videos uploaded by the latter on social media about Khan's activities at his farmhouse in Panvel, near Mumbai.
Khan had contended that the posts uploaded by Kakkad were not only defamatory but also communal and provocative in nature.
Kakkad had opposed the claims through his counsels, Abha Singh and Aditya Singh, contending that the defamation suit was filed by the actor to pressurize him to give up his land.
