NRI Assult Case

Saif Ali Khan's counter complaint does not stand: Police sources

Mumbai:  Actor Saif Ali Khan’s counter complaint against Iqbal Sharma, the man who claims that the actor assaulted him and fractured his nose at a restaurant in Mumbai late on Tuesday night, does not stand, police sources have told Informatives.

In his complaint last night, Saif alleged that Mr Sharma`s father-in-law punched him first and that the duo abused the women who were accompanying him at the restaurant. The actor alleged that his eye was swollen after he was punched.  After studying the application, police sources say the actor`s injuries cannot be ascertained as he has not backed it up with a medical certificate. The police, sources add, have examined 15 people so far, which includes Mr Sharma‘s father-in-law and the waiters at the restaurant.

Yesterday, at around 7:50 pm, Saif was arrested by the police at his lawyer’s office based on the complaint filed by Mr Sharma. Girlfriend and co-star Kareena Kapoor accompanied him. Around 90 minutes later, he left the Colaba police station after having paid Rs. 15,000 and being granted bail.

Mr Sharma, a businessman from South Africa, says he was seated at the table next to Saif and his group at Wasabi, the uber-fancy restaurant at the Taj hotel in Colaba. The actor had other Bollywood friends with him –Kareena Kapoor, Kareena’s sister Karisma Kapoor, actor Amrita Arora and her husband, Shakeel Ladak, andBilal Amrohi, a producer.

In his version of events, Mr Sharma says he sent a note to Saif`s table, asking his group to talk a little softer. “They were making a lot of noise. And we asked the management to ask them to be quiet so that we could also enjoy our evening. This failed on about three occasions at least. Mr Sharma says his family and he decided to leave the restaurant..

Saif Ali Khan was the first to hit Iqbal: Eyewitness

Saif Ali Khan's NRI assault case gets a new and fresh angle, from where things looks clearer. According to reports of a leading news channel, one of the eyewitnesses of the incident revealed that it was actually Saif Ali Khan who provoked Iqbal Sharma. In fact, Saif was the one who punched Sharma first.

But the actor has a different story to say. Saif told that he was hit first and hence reacted in self defence. "I was hit first and verbally abused," Saif said, talking to reporters at his home. "I was hit first. And as shocking as it may seem, the elderly gentlemen hit me. I'm not sure what provoked him.” "I am looking forward to CCTV footage (inside the restaurant)," he said.

On Tuesday night, Saif and his friends who were dining in a restaurant at Taj, got into a brawl with an NRI who reportedly asked the actor to maintain silence. The Mumbai Police has recorded the statements of 15 people over this assault case.