Actor Saif Ali Khan was unable appear for a court hearing in an assault case on Monday and will now appear on June 18. An NRI businessman has accused the actor of punching him after an argument at the Taj Hotel three years ago.
The defence sought an exemption for Mr. Khan citing contractual obligations. His lawyers told the court that he was out of Mumbai as he was under a contract to shoot an advertisement for an FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] major.
The South African businessman Iqbal Sharma protested that he had flown to India only for the trial. The prosecution wanted a warrant issued against the actor if he failed to appear on the next date of hearing. The court accepted the application and the hearing on the warrant order will also take place on June 18.
Mr. Khan and two of his friends have been charged with deliberately causing grievous hurt to Mr. Sharma in a scuffle that was preceded by an argument. Mr. Khan was accompanied by his wife Kareena Kapoor, sister-in-law Karishma Kapoor, fellow actors Malaika Arora Khan and Amrita Arora and Amrita’s husband Shakeel Ladak.
