Mumbai restaurant brawl may cost Saif his Padma Shri, here's why

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan could lose his Padma Shri award thanks to his 2012 brawl in Taj Mahal Palace Hotel’s Wasabi restaurant. According to a report in Times of India, an RTI complaint filed by activist S C Agrawal had called for the removal of Saif’s Padma Shri as a court had framed charges against him in the case. The report adds that the government has responded to the query and the home ministry told Agrawal that ’the matter is under examination’. While this doesn’t mean that Saif is set to lose his Padma Shri, the fact that the government has considered the matter shows that perhaps they see some merit in the application. The application was filed in March this year. [caption id=“attachment_1641555” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in this file photo. Firstpost image.[/caption] In 2012, Saif along with his friends Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi were arrested for assaulting South-African NRI businessman, Iqbal Sharma who also dining at the same restaurant in Mumbai. Saif and Kareena had gone there with a large group of friends, and when the businessman asked Saif and company to keep their voices down, things turned ugly. Sharma alleged that Saif had physically assaulted him. Sharma also ended up with a bloodied nose and then reported the matter to the Colaba police station. Saif was later arrested and was released by the police on bail after being charged with assaulting Sharma. Sharma had alleged that the actor accosted him near the staircase at the entrance of the restaurant and after some heated arguments, punched him on the nose, causing a fracture. He had added that Saif and his friends had even attacked his 68-year-old father-in-law when he tried to intervene. Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian honour in the country and according to the rules the President can cancel the award for someone.