Be a star, say sorry for slapping man, court tells Govinda

Reminding Govinda that he used to be a big Bollywood star, the Indian Supreme Court on Monday asked him to settle a dispute with a man whom he allegedly slapped in 2008 by apologising. Pointing out that what may hold good in “reel life” may not hold good in the “real life”, a bench of Chief Justice designate — Justices T.S. Thakur and V. Gopala Gowda — counselled Govinda, telling him he was “a big hero, show your big heart”.

Asking Govinda to settle the matter with Santosh Ray, the bench said: “We enjoy your films, but cannot tolerate you slapping somebody.”

The court’s observation came in the course of the hearing of a petition by Ray challenging the Bombay High Court order quashing his complaint.

As the bench viewed the video clip of the alleged act of violence on a mobile phone, the court said that such acts in public places could not be appreciated.

It directed the listing of the matter for further hearing on February 9.

Ray had on February 2, 2009 lodged a complaint against the veteran star, accusing him of causing hurt, intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of the peace, and criminal intimidation.

His complaint before a magistrate’s court was quashed by the high court in 2013. The high court had observed: “No doubt some incident had occurred. However, there is no material to prove criminal intimidation. It appears that the complainant was instigated to file the complaint after a year.”