Why Did Salman Khan File a Lawsuit?
• Eco-Home Demolished, Temple Targeted? NRI Speaks Out
• Salman’s Panvel Farm Faces Encroachment Allegations
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Network
Bollywood actor Salman Khan has filed a defamation case in the Mumbai Sessions Court against his Panvel neighbor, Ketan Kakkad, a U.S. citizen and NRI. The lawsuit claims Kakkad’s online videos and social media posts have tarnished Khan’s reputation. However, Kakkad maintains he is a whistleblower exposing illegal land use and ecological violations near Arpita Farms.
What began as a civil defamation case has escalated into a wider conflict involving Mumbai redevelopment policies, digital censorship, and alleged misuse of state machinery.
• Court Backs Kakkad: Free Speech Upheld in Redevelopment Dispute
Mumbai Sessions Court Recognizes Whistleblower Rights in Urban Conflict
On March 29, 2022, Judge Laddhad of the Mumbai Sessions Court issued a 50-page ruling dismissing Khan’s petition. The court concluded that Kakkad’s statements were truthful, well-documented, and made in the public interest—qualifying him as a whistleblower under legal protection.
Khan was directed to pay legal costs. In response, Kakkad served a Rs. 295 crore notice through his legal counsel. DSK Legal, representing Khan, declined to comply, citing an ongoing High Court appeal. Kakkad alleged this constituted contempt of court, insisting that the original judgment remained enforceable.
The Sprouts News Special Investigation (SIT) Team is continuing to examine the legal precedents that shield whistleblowers in land-use disputes.
• Delays and Transfers Spark Judicial Integrity Concerns
Legal Strategy, Judge Retirement Raise Eyebrows in Redevelopment Case
In a controversial move, Khan’s legal team sought to transfer the case to the courtroom of Hon’ble Judge Subramaniam. However, after the judge recommended Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) during an August 2024 hearing, the transfer request was abruptly withdrawn—perceived as tactical retreat.
Concurrently, the Bombay High Court conducted a prolonged hearing on Khan’s appeal. Just as a ruling was expected, the presiding judge retired, stating he hadn’t completed the written judgment. Kakkad alleged undue influence, fueling public speculation over judicial independence in high-profile Mumbai redevelopment cases.
Legal experts contacted by the Sprouts News Special Investigation (SIT) Team described the sequence of events as “irregular and systemically concerning.”
• Encroachment Allegations and Policy Failure in Panvel
NRI’s Property Rights Undermined Amid Urban Development Push
Kakkad claims his 2.5-acre property atop a Panvel hill—just above Arpita Farms—was illegally encroached upon. According to him, access roads were obstructed, power cut, and his eco-friendly residence and Ganapati temple demolished. He accuses forest official RFO Dnyaneshwar Sonawane of using forged backdated documents to label his land as private forest.
Simultaneously, Salman Khan’s adjoining 1.29-hectare land was allegedly cleared of all encumbrances in 2018 without the required Supreme Court approval. Kakkad asserts that illegal construction on Khan’s estate was regularized using bureaucratic pressure and political backing—highlighting failures in enforcing Mumbai’s urban development policy.
This has raised serious concerns about preferential treatment, especially as forest and ESZ (Eco-Sensitive Zone) regulations have been used selectively.
• Media Spin and Systemic Power Abuse
Character Assassination Tactics in Real Estate Disputes
Kakkad insists the defamation case was part of a broader campaign to delegitimize him and silence his voice. “They branded me mentally unstable, twisted the communal angle, and fed a false narrative to the media,” he said.
He likens Salman Khan’s influence to that of a white-collar mafia, alleging the use of PR, legal intimidation, and soft power to quash dissent. Despite repeated attempts, Sprouts News did not receive a response from Khan’s legal team by the time of publication.
• Digital Censorship Highlights Threat to Urban Whistleblowers
Social Media Crackdown Fuels Free Speech Concerns
Even after winning in court, Kakkad’s digital voice was suppressed. In 2023, his Twitter account was permanently suspended, and multiple YouTube videos were removed without formal justification. Observers warn this trend of unaccountable content takedowns may undermine whistleblower protections—particularly in sensitive redevelopment and land ownership cases.
In a city where housing societies and illegal constructions often escape scrutiny, silencing legitimate complaints raises red flags for both democracy and urban governance.
• Electricity Denial to Ganapati Temple Sparks National Questions
Violation of PM Modi’s Rural Power Mandate?
Despite receiving a sanctioned MSEB connection with deposit, documentation, and consumer ID, Kakkad’s Panvel home and temple remain without electricity. He claims MSEB workers have refused to activate the connection due to fear of retaliation from Salman Khan’s camp.
This obstruction contradicts Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national electricity policy, which mandates power to every household—including those in disputed territories. Here, Kakkad’s legal rights have already been affirmed in court.
Meanwhile, questions surround the consistent lighting at Salman Khan’s Arpita Farms, where casino-style lights have reportedly glowed for decades—despite the estate’s location in an Eco-Sensitive Zone.
According to the Sprouts News Special Investigation (SIT) Team, this case reflects a dangerous precedent where administrative machinery bends under celebrity influence, threatening both infrastructure equity and religious freedom.
Also Read: 15 Years Later, Nirmal Homebuyers Still Left Waiting.
• A Battle Between Power and Policy in Mumbai Redevelopment
Case Becomes Symbol of Accountability in Urban India
“This case is no longer just about me,” said Kakkad. “It’s about the extent to which power and influence can trample legal systems and civil rights.”
He challenged the credibility of governance in modern India: “If I, an America-returned Hindu and U.S. citizen, can’t even light a bulb in my own temple, what hope does the average Indian have?”
As Mumbai’s urban fabric becomes increasingly complex and politicized, the Sprouts News Special Investigation (SIT) Team will continue to expose critical stories where land, law, and liberty intersect.
