Mumbai: In a detailed order summoning veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar for charges relating to criminal intimidation and word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman following a complaint by Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, the magistrate’s court has dropped charges relating to extortion. 

The magistrate said that no case is made out against the accused for extortion-related offences as asking a person to give a written apology will not come under the definition of ‘valuable security.’ The extortion charge is defined as “whoever intentionally puts any person in fear of any injury and dishonestly induced in fear to deliver any property or valuable security.”

“Thus, written apology cannot be termed as valuable security,” metropolitan magistrate R M Shaikh said. Akhtar will have to appear before the court on August 5.

While the order was pronounced on Monday, the detailed order copy was made available on Wednesday.

The magistrate, however, said that on the basis of averments in the complaint, verification of the complainant Ranaut and statement of her sister Rangoli Chandel, there were sufficient grounds to proceed against Akhtar for the other two charges.

Through her advocate Rizwan Siddiquee, Ranaut had accused Akhtar of extortion and criminal intimidation, among other charges. She claimed that in a public dispute with her co-star, Hrithik Roshan, Akhtar called her sister and her to his house in Juhu and threatened her and forced her to tender a written apology. She said the public dispute between Roshan and her was of no consequence to Akhtar.

“However, the accused with malafide intention and ulterior motive called (the) complainant and her sister. . . in. . . March 2016 and criminally intimidated and threatened complainant as well as forced her to tender a written apology to the co-star, thereby forcefully seeking to create a document (valuable security) in favour of her co-star. Thus, the accused instill fear in her mind seeking to criminally extort a written apology (valuable security) from her,” the compliant said.

Ranaut alleged the accused attacked her moral character by “imputing unchastity” on her as well as by intentionally insulting her modesty and by intruding her privacy and commenting on her personal relationship with her co-star.