The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied staying summons issued by a trial court in a defamation case against the team of movie Jolly LLB 2, including its actors Akshay Kumar and Annu Kapoor, director Subhash Kapoor and producers.
Justice Mukta Gupta, refusing to stay summons, issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its response by March 30.
Earlier the trial court on February 8 had issued summons to Jolly LLB 2 producer Fox Star Studios India Private Limited, executive producer Naren Kumar, Subhash, Annu and Akshay, and others asking them to appear in court on February 22 in a defamation case filed by Bata Shoe Company.
The Bata Limited footwear company filed a criminal defamation case against the team of Jolly LLB 2 for using derogatory remarks and defamatory reference to Bata as a brand in the first official trailer of the movie.
The High Court refused to stay the summons saying only Fox Star has come before it, whereas the others have not, and the company can appear before the trial court through an authorised representative.
The trial court had found prima facie offence under sections 500 (defamation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code, which are made out against the accused and said there were sufficient grounds to proceed against them.