Shah Rukh Khan's elaborate #RaeesByRail promotion around the film's release in January seems to have got him into trouble. A case has been registered against him by the Kota government railway police (GRP) for allegedly "rioting" and "damaging" railway property during the film's promotion. To promote the film, the actor had travelled on the August Kranti Express from Mumbai to Delhi, which had stopped at several stations including Kota.

A stall owner at the station, Vikram Singh, has alleged that when SRK arrived at the station, there was a stampede-like situation and his fans created a ruckus. Singh said that SRK, while standing at the gate of the coach of the train threw something at the public and they rushed to grab it. And in the commotion, his trolley overturned and items on it were damaged and he got injured.

Om Prakash Meghwal, GRP Superintendent of Police, told us, "When Shah Rukh Khan had come to Kota station at around 5am on January 24, a large number of fans had gathered at the station. Shah Rukh's PR team had disseminated the information (of him coming to Kota station) through various media platforms. This was done with the intent of attracting as many people as they could, without thinking about the repercussions. While the actor did not deboard the train, he waved at his fans from the gate of his coach and also threw gifts and footballs at the crowd. This caused a stamped-like situation."


Meghwal told us that SRK's team did not take permission to throw gifts and footballs at the crowd. He added, "The permission for throwing gifts and footballs was not taken. He could have simply waved at the crowd from the window of his seat. All this not only delayed the train, but public property was also destroyed and the stall of Vikram Singh (complainant) got damaged. The complainant in his FIR has also mentioned that the crowd robbed cash from his stall. We have registered a case against Shah Rukh and other members who were part of this promotional team."

Meghwal said, "They have been booked for rioting, causing unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy and damage to public property. The case is being investigated and we will be examining the CCTV footage of that day."

The actor has been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 160 (affray), 427 (mischief causing damage of more than 50 rupees), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984; Sections 145 (interfering with amenity provided by the railway administration so as to affect the comfortable travel of any passenger) and 146 (obstructing or preventing any railway servant in the discharge of his duties).