Fracas over taking a selfie at Sonu Nigam’s concert in Mumbai
S Ahmed Ali & Bella Jaisinghani | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 22, 2023)

Mumbai: The Chembur police have registered an offence under IPC sections of assault, negligence and wrongful restraint against Swapnil Phaterpekar, son of Shiv Sena MLA (Uddhav Thackeray faction) Prakash Phaterpekar, and others, for manhandling singer Sonu Nigam and his team Monday night.

After Nigam finished his performance at the Chembur Festival, Swapnil, whose family had organized the event, insisted on taking a selfie with him. He got into a scuffle with the singer, his friend Rabbani Khan and bodyguard Hariprakash. Nigam was pushed and fell on the steps while Rabbani was thrown off the stage.

On Tuesday, police collected CCTV footage of the event. “We have started investigation by gathering digital evidence, that is CCTV footage. After studying that, we will start calling witnesses and issue summons to Swapnil this week,” said an officer.

Nigam told TOI, “It was a close shave for me and Hariprakash, my bodyguard, but a very bad fall for Rabbani. A flat-on-your-back fall from a height of 7 feet like this, could have been fatal. Madness!”

Nigam highlighted the growing menace of selfie-obsessed fans who become ag-gressive when celebrities do not fulfil their demand. He said, “I am very keen on knowing what the law does in open-and-shut cases like this. Do they make us regret the decision of filing a legitimate complaint against hooliganism like this? Just because someone is a celebrity doesn’t mean he has to be obligated and subjected to anyone’s coercion for selfies and videos. That too in such a violent way.”

Meanwhile, the attacker’s sister Suprada, daughter of MLA Phaterpekar, apologized to Nigam on Twitter. She is the organizer of the event, and a member of the state’s women’s commission. The Indian Singers’ Rights Association condemned the attack.
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Soumya Vajpayee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 22, 2023)

Sonu Nigam’s musical evening in Mumbai on Monday night took an unfortunate turn when Swapnil Prakash Phaterpekar, a political leader, allegedly barged in and manhandled the singer and his team. When singer Rabbani Mustafa Khan (Nigam’s guru, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan’s son) came to his rescue, he too was pushed off the stage.

“Around 10 pm, some men from Shiv Sena pushed audience members and made their way backstage. They misbehaved with Sonu and pushed my husband off the stage. He was rushed to the hospital,” says Namrata Gupta Khan, Rabbani’s wife. “How could such an unfortunate incident take place at a concert of Sonu Nigam, who is known for being so cordial with his fans?” she adds.

“I fell on the steps. Rabbani, who tried to save me, was pushed from behind. He could have died. I filed a complaint because people must think about it when they force someone to take a selfie. Some people are just so unfair when it comes to asking for selfies and pictures. There was no other reason he’d behave so aggressively,” Nigam tells us.

Festival organizer Suprada Phaterpekar tweeted, “While Shri Sonu Nigam was being ushered off the stage after his performance. my brother was trying to take a selfie with him... The person who fell was taken to Zen hospital & was discharged after examination. Shri Sonu Nigam is unhurt... We have officially apologized to Sonu sir & his team for the incident. Please do not believe baseless rumours and those trying to politicize the matter. (sic)”