News

In a significant legal reprieve, a local court in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, has officially recalled and canceled a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against actor and television personality Rakhi Sawant.

The warrant had been issued earlier this week by the Fast Track Court over non-appearance in an alleged abetment-to-suicide case dating back to November 2010, linked to her reality television show Rakhi Ka Insaaf.

During a special hearing on Thursday evening, Sawant’s defense counsel presented judicial records proving that the Allahabad High Court had already granted an interim stay on all coercive proceedings in the case, prompting the magistrate to withdraw the arrest warrant with immediate effect.

The brief escalation occurred after the Jhansi Fast Track Court issued an NBW due to Sawant’s repeated absence from hearings:

The Procedural Oversight: Appearing before the court, defense advocate Asu Singh clarified that an earlier stay order granted by the Allahabad High Court had inadvertently not been placed on record during the previous proceeding, leading the magistrate to issue the arrest warrant under the assumption of deliberate non-compliance.

High Court Stay Taken on Record: Upon the defense submitting the High Court's directive—which stayed trial proceedings against Sawant and members of the show's production crew—the court ordered the warrant to be vacated and withdrawn from police stations immediately.

No Blanket Closure: While Sawant has obtained immediate protection from arrest, the broader legal proceedings will continue subject to the Allahabad High Court’s ultimate ruling on the quashing petition.

The case traces its roots to the late-2010 reality television series Rakhi Ka Insaaf, which featured Sawant arbitrating domestic and marital disputes in front of studio cameras:

The Marital Dispute: Lakshman Ahirwar (24), a resident of the Hansari area under Jhansi’s Prem Nagar police station, had appeared on the show alongside his estranged wife, Anita, to resolve a family fallout.

The Allegations: During the broadcast, Sawant allegedly made derogatory and humiliating remarks, including calling Ahirwar "impotent" during an exchange.

Tragic Demise & FIR: Following the telecast, Ahirwar reportedly went into acute depression, stopped eating, and died by suicide on November 10, 2010. His mother, Savitri Devi, lodged an FIR at the Prem Nagar police station accusing Sawant and the channel of abetment to suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

While the cancellation of the warrant provides immediate relief from police arrest, the 16-year-old case illustrates how unresolved trials from the early reality TV era continue to linger on judicial dockets. For Sawant, presenting the High Court’s protective shield averted an imminent arrest, but final closure will depend on whether the Allahabad High Court permanently quashes the charge sheet in the upcoming substantive hearings.