The court observes the matter as a breach of contract, not a criminal offence
The Calcutta High Court has quashed a 2018 criminal case against Bollywood actress Zareen Khan, relating to her alleged failure to appear as a guest artist at a Kali Puja event in November 2018.
The case was filed by Phoenix Talent Management, claiming that Khan breached her contractual obligation after receiving a payment of INR 12 lakh, resulting in a reported loss of INR 42 crores for the agency.
The complaint accused Khan and her associates of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and issuing threats under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A charge sheet was filed in 2023, and the case was being heard in a Sealdah trial court.
In her defence, Khan argued that the issue was contractual and should not fall under criminal proceedings. Justice Bibhas Ranjan De agreed, stating, “Criminal courts are not meant to be used for settling scores or pressuring parties to resolve civil disputes.” The judge also noted that a civil suit regarding the same issue was already pending in a Mumbai court.
The High Court emphasized that criminal action was not warranted in this dispute and allowed Zareen Khan’s plea to quash the case.
This verdict brings an end to the five-year-long criminal proceedings against the actress, although the civil case remains unresolved.
