The Allahabad High Court on Friday stayed the arrest of actor Rakhi Sawant on the charge of abetting the suicide of a man who participated in a television reality show hosted by her.
The order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Ram Autar Singh on a writ petition filed by Ms. Sawant challenging the First Information Report lodged at the Prem Nagar police station in Jhansi by Savitri Devi, whose son Laxman had participated in her show. He died a few weeks later.
Counter affidavit
The court asked the State government to file a counter affidavit within four weeks.
Allegation
The FIR alleged that Mr. Laxman had visited Mumbai to take part in the show hoping that it would help resolve differences with his wife.
Humiliated
He was allegedly called “naamard” (impotent) by the actor, after which he returned home feeling humiliated.
The FIR said after the telecast, Mr. Laxman went into a depression, started saying that his life had been ruined and gave up eating food.
He fell ill and died later in a hospital.
