Government is examining a demand for taking back the Padma Shri award conferred on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in the wake of a Mumbai court framing charges against him.

RTI activist S C Agrawal had filed a complaint with the Union Home Ministry on March 14 this year, demanding stripping the actor of the award conferred in 2010 as the Mumbai court had framed charges against him for alleged scuffle in a restaurant there.

In response to a subsequent RTI application filed to know the status of his complaint, the Home Ministry has replied to Agrawal that "the matter is under examination". 43-year-old Khan was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2010 for his contribution in the field of art. However, recently-framed charges against Khan and two of his friends -- Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi under section 325 (assault) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.


It is alleged that Khan had punched on the nose of a South-Africa based businessman and his father-in-law at a Colaba hotel in February 2012. Khan and his two friends have pleaded not guilty after the metropolitan court in Mumbai read out the charges to them in March this year.