Bollywood actor Salman Khan‘s feud with his Panvel farmhouse neighbour, Ketan Kakkad, dates back years. On Thursday, the Bombay High Court observed in a new case that social media does not entitle anybody to make defamatory posts against a celebrity. The neighbour was also urged to delete their posts against Salman.
Bombay HC asks Panvel farmhouse neighbour to delete posts on Salman Khan
According to news agency PTI, a single-judge bench of Justice Sharmila Deshmukh questioned why anyone should upload content on social media rather than address their grievances with the concerned authorities. The court also remarked that access to social media does not entitle anyone to post defamatory content about anyone, including celebrities.
The HC also asked the neighbour to consider deleting their posts against the actor. It was also indicated that if the neighbour’s content was uploaded by third parties, intermediaries must take steps to have it removed. Ketan alleged that Salman violated environmental norms and blocked access to his property, saying no action was taken when authorities were approached. A further hearing has been posted for July 6.
The case and its history explained
The HC was hearing an appeal filed by Salman against a civil court order refusing to grant him interim relief in a defamation suit he had filed against Ketan. Salman had filed the case in 2022 against the neighbour over Tweets and YouTube videos concerning a property dispute.
Salman filed the case alleging that the videos and posts were not just defamatory but also communally provocative. The actor alleged that Ketan’s allegations were false, speculative, and inflammatory, intended to provoke communal sentiments. Back then, the court added that Salman could also not prove that Ketan was referring to the actor in the said ‘defamatory’ video interview he had objected to.
According to what Salman’s lawyer said in court during the 2022 filing, Ketan had accused the actor of being ‘a front for the D Gang, commenting on his religious identity and implying that he was connected to the ruling party at the central and state level, levelling allegations of child trafficking, further alleging that bodies of film stars are buried in his farmhouse.’
Salman responded through his lawyer, saying, “Without proper proof, all these allegations are a figment of the defendant’s imagination. In a property dispute, why are you tarnishing my personal reputation? Why are you bringing in religion? My mother is a Hindu, my father is a Muslim, and my brothers have married Hindus. We celebrate all festivals.”
Last seen in the 2025 film Sikandar, Salman will soon star in Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace. He also has a film directed by Vamshi Paidipally and co-starring Nayanthara.
