The Bombay High Court has made significant observations in an ongoing legal dispute involving Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and his neighbour in Panvel, Maharashtra.
During a hearing related to a defamation suit filed by the actor, the Court said that access to social media does not give individuals the right to publish content that could potentially defame another person, whether they are a private citizen or a celebrity. The matter stems from a long-running property dispute between Khan and his neighbour, Ketan Kakkad, who has shared several X posts and YouTube videos making allegations against the actor.
Bombay HC Asks Salman Khan’s Neighbour To Take Down Posts
The observations came during the hearing of an appeal filed by before the Bombay High Court, as per a report by Bar And Bench. The actor had challenged a civil court order that refused to grant him interim relief in his defamation suit against Ketan Kakkad.
Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, who presided over the matter, remarked that disputes should not be fought on social media platforms and that parties should instead seek remedies through appropriate legal channels. The Court suggested that Kakkad consider deleting the posts and YouTube videos about dispute.
The Bench also expressed concern over the continued circulation of such content online. It noted that valuable judicial time should not be spent examining whether videos and social media posts should remain accessible to the public. Further, the Court observed that even when content is uploaded by third parties, there are mechanisms available through intermediaries and online platforms to seek its removal. The remarks reflected the Court’s view that social media should not become a parallel forum for litigating personal or property disputes. The matter has now been posted for further hearing on July 6.
More About The Defamation Case
The dispute originates from adjoining properties located in Panvel, where Salman Khan owns his farmhouse. Ketan Kakkad has alleged that Khan violated environmental regulations and blocked access to his property. According to Kakkad, he approached the relevant authorities regarding the issue but no action was taken despite his complaints. Following these developments, Kakkad posted several tweets and participated in YouTube interviews discussing the dispute and making allegations concerning the actor and his property.
In response, Salman Khan filed a suit, arguing that the statements made by Kakkad were defamatory and damaging to his reputation. The actor has further contended that some of the content shared online was not only defamatory but also communally provocative in nature. According to Khan, the controversy escalated after a proposed land transaction involving a plot adjacent to his farmhouse was cancelled by authorities due to alleged irregularities and illegality. Khan claims that after the cancellation, Kakkad began making baseless allegations that the decision had been influenced or orchestrated by Khan and members of his family.
Kakkad, however, has opposed the defamation proceedings. He has maintained that his statements are based on facts relating to Khan’s property and therefore do not constitute defamation. His legal team has also argued that Salman Khan is a public figure and has himself placed details regarding the property in the public domain.