Activist withdraws plea for fast hearing of plaint against SRK

MUMBAI, Oct 24:  Social activist Varsha Deshpande, who had filed a complaint against Shah Rukh Khan for sex determination of his third child born through surrogacy, today withdrew a petition she filed in the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to a lower court to hear her matter expeditiously.

Deshpande had approached the High Court for early hearing of the complaint filed by her in a magistrate court seeking action against Shahrukh, Gauri and Jaslok Hospital and its doctor under the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act.

She had sought early hearing on the ground that the Supreme Court said all cases under the PCPNDT Act should be heard and decided within six months.

Justice Sadhana Jadhav was today told by Shah Rukh’s lawyer Pranav Bhadekar that the magistrate court had yesterday rejected Deshpande’s application under section 28(3) of the PCPNDT Act seeking copies of the inquiry report prepared by the BMC.

“The magistrate has now posted the matter for recording the complainant’s statement on November 13. Hence, nothing survives in this petition,” Bhadekar said.

A lawyer, appearing on behalf of Deshpande, also agreed and said they would like to withdraw the petition. (PTI)