Palash Muchhal gets relief in ₹10cr defamation case
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief to singer-filmmaker Palash Muchhal in his defamation case against actor-producer Vidnyan Mane. The court has restrained Mane from making or publishing any additional remarks against Muchhal, after taking note of allegedly defamatory statements made during the ongoing controversy. Mane had leveled cheating allegations on the composer, further claiming that Muchhal's wedding with Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana was called off due to infidelity.
Allegations
Mane accused Muchhal of cheating him out of ₹40L
Mane, who claims to be a childhood friend of Mandhana's, alleged that he caught Muchhal cheating on her. He also accused the singer-filmmaker of cheating him out of over ₹40L for a film project. In response, Muchhal filed a ₹10 crore defamation case against Mane and sent him a legal notice for his "false, outrageous and highly defamatory accusations made with the deliberate intent to malign my reputation and character."
Legal proceedings
Court emphasizes need to prevent further harm
The Bombay High Court observed that such comments could seriously affect an individual's reputation and dignity. Emphasizing the need to "prevent further harm," the bench directed an immediate restraint on Mane from issuing statements regarding Muchhal until further proceedings. Reacting to this development, advocate Shreyansh Mithare, counsel for Muchhal, called it a significant moment and major relief for his client while speaking to Hindustan Times.
Allegations and denial
Mane's allegations and Muchhal's response
Mane had claimed that he was present at Muchhal's wedding celebrations when he caught the singer-filmmaker with another woman in bed. He alleged that female cricketers beat up Muchhal for this. In response, Muchhal called these allegations "baseless" and "factually incorrect," asserting they were made with malicious intent to tarnish his reputation. He also stated that his lawyer is exploring all legal avenues to address this matter through appropriate channels. The next hearing is set for March 11.