Bailable Warrant Re-Issued Against Malaika Arora in Saif Ali Khan Hotel Brawl Case

A Mumbai court has re-issued a bailable warrant against actor Malaika Arora after she failed to appear as a witness in the case related to an alleged attack on an NRI businessman by Saif Ali Khan at a five-star hotel in 2012.

Arora, who was part of the group dining with Khan at the hotel on February 22, 2012, was supposed to testify regarding the incident. Chief Judicial Magistrate K S Zanwar of the Esplanade court is currently recording witness testimonies in the ongoing proceedings.

This follows the initial issuance of a bailable warrant against Arora on February 15, which was re-issued on Monday after her non-appearance in court.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 29.

Saif Ali Khan, along with two others, was arrested after a complaint by businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma. They were later released on bail. The incident allegedly occurred when Sharma objected to the noise created by Khan and his group. It resulted in an altercation during which Saif allegedly punched Sharma, fracturing his nose. The businessman also accused Saif and his companions of assaulting his father-in-law, Raman Patel.

In defense, Saif claimed Sharma used abusive language against the women with him, provoking the altercation.

Saif Ali Khan, Shakeel Ladak, and Bilal Amrohi face charges under section 325 (assault) of the Indian Penal Code.

Earlier, Arora had told court that on February 21, 2012, she and a large group of friends were given a separate enclosure by the restaurant staff. “We were having a good time, when all of a sudden, a man barged into our enclosure,” she said. “…in a very loud aggressive voice, he told us to shut up and keep quiet.”

Arora said Khan stood up and apologised to the man for any disturbance caused and suggested he could leave if he had finished dining. She added they resumed dinner, unaware that the man was still waiting outside.

Later, when Khan went to the washroom, they heard a commotion and recognised his voice. “We saw the man punching and hitting Saif. There was a scuffle, which we rushed and stopped,” she testified.