Actor Saif Ali Khan has been booked by the Mumbai police for the alleged assault of a South African based businessman, following an altercation that occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at a restaurant at the Taj Mahal Hotel where Saif was dining with a group of friends including fiancée Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora Khan and Amrita Arora.
Businessman Iqbal Sharma says he objected to the level of noise Saif’s group was making and requested the restaurant staff ask the group to keep the noise down. Sharma says that this request led to Saif Ali Khan confronting him and his father-in-law later in the night, leading to a physical assault.
“As we were going down the stairs, Saif was coming up, probably from the toilet. As he passed me, he called me an idiot and asked ‘do you know who I am?'”
According to Sharma, Saif Ali Khan pushed both him and his father in law. “It was an uncivilized way to behave in a public space.”
Saif Ali Khan has added his side to the story, releasing a statement to the media:
“There was an ugly incident last night where my friends and the ladies with us were abused and I was assaulted.
I was hit and I defended myself. I have been to the police station to answer the requirements of law as I am a law abiding citizen. I have also filed a complaint about what happened last night and I am confident justice will be done.
I have seen the interviews given on TV and they look like decent people and I cannot believe that the same people were so aggressive the night before and the lies that they are saying about me with such straight faces.
I think they have the cc tv footage in the restaurant that will prove everything.
I hope the media is able to remain impartial while the matter is being decided. I don’t think any gentleman would have behaved differently.”
While police confirm that Saif was involved in an incident they remain tight-lipped as to whether the actor will be arrested on any charge.
