Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan were shooting at a makeshift temple, which was part of the set in a studio for 'Bigg Boss 9', and they had no intention to hurt religious sentiments, Delhi Police told a court here giving a clean chit to the megastars.
The police, in its action taken report (ATR), said the shooting of the promo, showing the actors wearing shoes in a temple, was done in a studio and no such incident, as alleged in the complaint, ever took place.
"In view of the facts and report, no cognizable offence is made out. The promo was not shot to disturb the sanctity of a religious place or disturb or hurt the religious sentiments of any individual, group, community or section of the society.
"However, the undersigned is ready to abide by the order passed by the court," the report forwarded by SHO of Roop Nagar Police Station and filed by sub-inspector Naveen Kumar said.
The report was filed in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) V K Gautam who was on leave and link magistrate Jagminder Singh fixed the matter for March 2 for arguments.
The court had earlier directed the police to file an ATR explaining what action it has taken on the complaint filed by advocate Gaurav Gulati.
The complaint had sought the court's direction to the police to register an FIR against the two actors, Colors channel and director and producer of reality show 'Bigg Boss 9' for alleged offences under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
It its report, the police also mentioned that a similar complaint was filed in a Meerut court, which has already dismissed it.
The police also annexed and referred to the reply of
Jessu George, channel producer of 'VIACOM 18', in which it was stated that Shah Rukh Khan had appeared on the set of 'Big Boss 9' and met Salman Khan with whom he had worked in Bollywood movie 'Karan Arjun' a long time ago.
"As they (actors) had met after a long time, the director thought of an idea of showing them reuniting on the sets of 'Kali Mandir' in a similar manner as they had reunited in the movie 'Karan Arjun' in such a temple after their "re-birth" in the film.
"This idea was not motivated by any intention of hurting any religious sentiments of any religious group and shooting of the promo was done in a studio and the subject incident never took place," police said, citing the channel's reply.
The complaint filed against the actors had alleged that in a video being circulated, Shah Rukh and Salman were seen wearing shoes on the sets of a temple while shooting for an episode of Bigg Boss where the idol can be seen in the background.
"It is a disrespect to the Hindu religion and its belief as it is strictly prohibited to come in the temple with shoes and also they were showing their back to the idol which is also deemed to be an insult to the Hindu goddess... (sic)," it has alleged, claiming that it seemed to be a "well-planned malicious act to outrage Hindu feelings".
