Paresh Rawal gets HC relief in case over alleged derogatory comments about Bengalis

The Calcutta High Court directed the police not to take any coercive action against actor Paresh Rawal till Monday in connection with an FIR filed by CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohd Salim whereby it was alleged that he made derogatory comments about the Bengali community.

The court directed Salim's lawyer to take instruction from the CPI(M) leader about his position on the FIR as the actor claimed that he has apologised for his statement.

Rawal, a BJP leader, moved the high court seeking quashing of the FIR against him and a notice by the police to appear before it on February 4 in connection with the case.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the police not to take coercive action against Rawal till Monday, when the matter will be taken up for hearing again.

The court directed Salim's lawyer Shamim Ahmed to take instruction from the leader about his position on the issue and inform it on Monday.

Rawal stated in the petition that his speech delivered in Gujarati on November 29, which he did during election campaign for the Gujarat assembly elections, was misinterpreted and mistranslated allegedly for political vendetta.

He claimed to have clarified his statement and apologised on December 2, on which date Salim filed an FIR at Taltala police station in Kolkata over the comments made by the actor in the speech.

Rawal claimed in his petition that he had clarified through Twitter that by "Bengali", he meant illegal immigrant Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in India and not otherwise.

He stated that he has been given notices by the police here under CrPC's section 41A for appearing before it in connection with the FIR.

Alleging that the investigation is partisan, he prayed for quashing the notice issued to him by the police and the probe into the matter.

He also prayed that no coercive action be taken against him in connection with the case registered against him at Taltala police station.