Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa has granted relief to actor-turned-activist Gaurav Bakshi by cancelling the criminal case registered against him over an alleged confrontation with an official of the Tiswadi Mamlatdar’s office.
Justice Amit Jamsandekar, hearing the matter on Wednesday, quashed the FIR lodged by Panaji Police on December 12, 2025, as well as the chargesheet and proceedings before the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Merces.
The complaint stemmed from a dispute concerning a land-conversion file. The government official had alleged that Bakshi used abusive language, threatened him and caused a disturbance at the office.
The prosecution claimed Bakshi had told the official that he would “show” him and would ensure that he lost his job by approaching vigilance authorities.
After examining the allegations, the High Court found that they did not establish the kind of threat required to constitute criminal intimidation. The Bench observed that there was no specific allegation that Bakshi threatened harm to the official’s person, reputation or property, nor was there material showing that the complainant was put in immediate fear.
The court held that a person’s statement about taking recourse to a lawful process, including approaching vigilance authorities, cannot automatically be treated as a threat of injury. It therefore concluded that the requirements for an offence under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were not satisfied.
The Bench also noted the absence of allegations involving assault, physical force or manhandling.
While considering the circumstances surrounding the complaint, the court took note of an earlier complaint filed by Bakshi against the same official, in which he had alleged dereliction of duty.
The ruling marks another legal victory for Bakshi. The High Court had earlier quashed a separate case filed by Colvale Police in which he was accused of wrongfully restraining Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar.
