Kareena Kapoor says government not to take back Saif’s Padma award

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan said that the government has no plans to strip her husband Saif Ali Khan’s Padma Shri award.

“They (government) are not taking Saif’s Padma Shri back. The government has already issued a letter saying they are not taking his Padma Shri back. It (letter) is out and I think the media should have received the letter by now… though the verdict of this case is not yet out,” Kareena told reporters on Saturday.

Kareena’s comments come at a time when the speculations are on that actor Saif Ali Khan, who was was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2010 for his contribution in the field of art, may lose his Padma award following a demand by an RTI activist after Mumbai court framing charges against him for alleged brawl at a restaurant.

RTI activist, S C Agrawal, had filed a complaint with the Home Ministry asking for stripping Padma award from Saif following court’s order.

In the complaint which Agrawal wrote, “It refers to charges framed against Saif Ali Khan by a Mumbai-court for scuffle in a Mumbai-restaurant. Film-actor is already facing several other criminal cases against him. An RTI response revealed that Saif Ali Khan involved in many criminal cases was recommended for Padma awards by ‘Awards Committee’ in its meeting without mentioning name of member of Awards Committee having recommended his name. Significantly senior government-officers and eminent personalities from different fields are members of the Awards Committee, and all the recommended names are to be cleared by several intelligence-agencies before being announced for Padma awards on saif ali khanRepublic-Day eve,” he had written.

Saif Ali Khan and his friends Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi were charged under IPC Section 325 (assault) and 34 (common intention) for hitting a South Africa-based businessman and his father-in-law at restaurant in February 2012.

Kareena is currently busy promoting her upcoming Rohit Shetty film ‘Singham Returns’.

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