HC stays proceedings against Rakhi Sawant in defamation case

Allahabad, Feb 14 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court todaystayed trial proceedings against actress Rakhi Sawant at acourt in Muzaffarnagar in connection with a defamation caseagainst her.

Passing the order on a criminal revision petition filedby Sawant, Justice Bala Krishna Narayana asked the UttarPradesh government and the Muzaffarnagar police to file theirreply within four weeks.

Sawant is facing trial in a case of defamation andobscenity lodged by one Narendra Singh, who has alleged thatSunita Singh, to whom he has been married since 2003, wasshown as another man''s wife in one of the episodes of Sawant''scontroversial TV show "Rakhi Ka Insaf".

The actress'' counsel Shishir Tandon argued that the trialcourt had initiated hearing and issued summons "without anyapplication of mind to the facts of the case and the materialson record".

The court stayed the proceedings observing that "thematter requires consideration upon receiving response from theopposite parties".

Sawant''s TV show, which went on air less than a year ago,has been embroiled in controversies on more than one occasion.

The show has been shifted to late night slot from primetime following a directive from the Information andBroadcasting Ministry following complaints of "foul language"being used.

Besides, a case of abetment to suicide was lodged inJhansi against Sawant and others by a woman whose son hadstarved himself to death after he took part in the TV showwhere he was allegedly subjected to humiliation by the feistyactress.