The Mumbai Police have booked Bollywood actor Sahil Khan and four others for allegedly instigating prominent physique-builder and former "Mr India" Manoj Patil to commit suicide, officials said here on Friday.
Patil, who survived the suicide attempt early on Thursday morning, is currently undergoing treatment at the BMC-run R.N. Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle.
"An athlete and body-builder, Patil had bagged the prestigious title of 'Mr India - Men's Physique Overall Championships-2016', conducted by the government-recognised Indian Body Builders Federation," IBBF General Secretary Hiral Sheth told IANS.
According to police, Patil allegedly tried to end his life by swallowing some pills at his home in Saileela Apartment in Oshiwara, but was rushed to hospital by his family and survived.
Patil, 29, who also dabbles in modelling, had recently submitted a complaint letter to the Oshiwara police in which, among other things, he accused Khan and others of allegedly creating issues in his professional career and defaming him via the social media, and demanding action against them.
The police, who have lodged an FIR based on Patil's letter, will record his statement after he fully recovers before taking the investigations further though no arrests have been made so far in the case.
Incidentally, on Thursday, Khan rubbished all the allegations levelled against him and informed the media that the entire matter was between Patil and another person named Raj Faujdar of New Delhi who had come in his (Khan's) contact on some social networking site.
The police have booked Khan and others under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to abetment of suicide, attempt to commit offences, defamation, criminal intimidation, and common intent