Malaika Arora is now off the stand as her name has been dropped as a prosecution witness in the 2012 hotel assault case that had Saif Ali Khan arrested. As per reports, the decision came during a hearing in the magistrate’s court, on Wednesday.

Earlier on April 7, a bailable warrant was issued against Arora, given repeated failures in showing up to the summons. What’s more, although the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) appeared in court, they initially requested an adjournment. However, Magistrate K S Zanwar denied the plea, noting it’s an old case and added that Arora had appeared in court after “due persuasion,” per India Today. The court further pointed out that the prosecution had recently examined two other witnesses, including Malaika’s sister, Amrita Arora, rendering the adjournment request unjustified.

Given that, the prosecution prompted a plea to remove Malaika Arora from the list of witnesses, stating her unwillingness. Magistrate K S Zanwar granted the request and withdrew the bailable warrant that had been issued for her appearance.

Attention will now shift to the complainant, NRI businessman Iqbal Sharma, who is set to be the next primary witness. The next hearing shall be on August 22.

What Happened In 2012

In 2012, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was arrested and later released on bail after allegedly assaulting an NRI businessman, Iqbal Sharma, at the Taj Hotel’s Wasabi restaurant in Mumbai. The altercation occurred shortly after midnight when Sharma, dining with his family, complained about the loud behavior of Khan and his companions, including actress Kareena Kapoor. The situation escalated when Khan allegedly punched Sharma near the restaurant’s entrance, fracturing his nose. Khan, along with his friends Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi, was booked under IPC Sections 325 and 34, as per reports by India Today.

Khan later issued a public statement admitting the incident turned “ugly” but claimed he acted in self-defense after being assaulted. He expressed disbelief at the complainants’ version of events and suggested that CCTV footage would clarify the truth. The police, citing the bailable nature of the charges, completed formalities and released all three accused after about an hour. Media access to the police station was restricted due to heavy security presence.