SRK fined for smoking in public, pleads guilty

Pleading guilty, Shahrukh Khan on Saturday sought exemption from personal appearance in the court for the smoking case and expressed willingness to pay fine.

Zeenews Bureau

Jaipur: Pleading guilty, Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan on Saturday sought exemption from personal appearance in the court here in a case related to smoking in public at a stadium here during an IPL match and expressed willingness to pay fine. The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate had summoned SRK to appear before the court on May 26 in relation to the case. Khan's counsel V R Bajva represented him in the ACJM court and pleaded guilty on his behalf. He said the matter was a "petty affair" and moved an application seeking exemption from personal presence of his client in the case but the same was objected by the counsel of the petitioner. After hearing both the sides, magistrate Shilpa Sameer posted the matter for June 21.Khan is not required to remain present on the next hearing. The Bollywood star had allegedly smoked while watching the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders April 8. "Smoking publicly is banned in Rajasthan since 2000 under the Rajasthan Prevention of Smocking Act. However, Shah Rukh Khan was smoking publicly in front of thousands of spectators. The actor was broadcast live while smoking on the TV channel which was showing the match," said lawyer Nem Singh Rathore who had filed the complaint on behalf of Jaipur Cricket Academy director Anand Singh Rathore. "Police was confiscating any objectionable items including cigarettes while frisking. However, it seems Shah Rukh was allowed to carry the cigarette packet into the stadium which is negligence on part of police also," the complainant said. With agency inputs