Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS): Saif Ali Khan, who is in the midst of a controversy after a scuffle with an NRI businessman, says he could have used 'Gandhigiri' to sort out the matter peacefully, provided the situation allowed him to do so.

"I think I could have reacted to the incident using 'Gandhigiri'. But that time the situation was worse. I am not saying that I am totally innocent but I was not guilty alone," Saif told reporters here late Wednesday night.

The 41-year-old was arrested Wednesday evening with two others -- Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi for assaulting Iqbal Sharma, an Indian-origin businessman from South Africa, early Wednesday at the Taj Mahal Hotel.

The trio was released on bail after being interrogated.

Saif, however, rues that media is being partial in reporting about the incident.

"Media is being partial reporting about the incident. I was hit first. They misbehaved with us and even used abusive language. I have also lodged a complaint and the matter is in court so I request media not to give any biased report until court's decision comes," he added.

Sharma claimed that Saif called him an "idiot" for complaining about the actor's loud conduct at a restaurant in the Taj Mahal Hotel.

He said he and his family had requested the restaurant manager to ask Saif and his friends, which included Kareena, Amrita Arora and Malaika Arora Khan, to keep their voices down.

Sharma said he and his family then decided to move to another part of the restaurant downstairs.

"As we were going down the stairs, Saif was coming up, probably from the toilet. As he passed me, he called me an idiot and asked 'Do you know who I am?'"

Sharma said the actor first pushed him and then assaulted his father-in-law who fell on the stairs and bruised his jaw.

But Saif and his friends have a different story to tell.

According to sources, Amrita's businessman husband Shakeel is said to have hit Sharma's father-in-law in the scuffle, which began as Sharma's group passed comments about the ladies.