Salman Khan's plea for interim restraining order against neighbour in defamation suit rejected by court

The Mumbai City Civil Court on Friday refused to pass any interim restraining order in favour of actor Salman Khan who has sued a neighbour for alleged defamation.

The Bollywood superstar has filed a civil suit alleging that Ketan Kakkad, who owns a plot of land near the actor's farmhouse in Panvel near Mumbai, defamed him during an interview with a YouTube channel.

Judge Anil H Laddhad directed Kakkad to file his reply and posted the matter for further hearing on January 21. Lawyers from DSK Legal which represents Khan sought an interim injunction (order) restraining Kakkad from making any further defamatory statements during the pendency of the suit.

But Kakkad's lawyers Abha Singh and Aditya Pratap opposed the prayer, saying they received case papers only on Thursday evening and could not go through the entire suit. Advocate Singh also said there was no urgency and if Khan had waited for a month to file the suit, then Kakkad should get some time to file a reply.

Judge Laddhad then adjourned the hearing. Khan, who lives in suburban Bandra in Mumbai, owns a farmhouse in Panvel in neighbouring Raigad district.

Kakkad, also a Mumbai resident, owns a plot on a hill next to Khan's farmhouse. According to Khan's suit, Kakkad made slanderous comments against the actor while speaking to a YouTuber.

Two other people who participated in the show have also been named as respondents. Khan has also made YouTube, social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and search engine giant Google parties to the suit, demanding that they be directed to block and remove the `defamatory content' from their websites.

Khan wants a permanent order restraining Kakkad from posting or publishing defamatory content about the actor or his farmhouse.