The city civil and sessions court here today stayed the summons issued against Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and his wife Manyata in response to a complaint challenging their marriage till April 23.

City civil and sessions court judge S N Sardesai stayed the operation of the summons on a plea by Dutt, who has challenged the order that requires him and Manyata to appear before the court on April 14.

Manyata's former husband Miraj Shaikh had lodged the complaint, claiming that she is his legal wife and cannot marry another person unless she obtained a divorce from him.

Shaikh, who had been arrested by the police in an extortion case, is at present languishing in a jail and had filed the complaint from there.

In his plea, Dutt contended that the allegations levelled against him and Manyata are false. The main motive in lodging the complaint is to tarnish his (Dutt's) image in the eyes of public and get cheap publicity.

Dutt also pleaded that the local Bandra court had exceeded its jurisdiction and had not considered the matter properly.

Dutt contended that at the most, this is a matter of civil nature and, therefore, the local court cannot take cognizance of such complaints.