Bhima Koregaon Case: Special NIA Court Rejects Bail to Hany Babu & 3 Kabir Kala Mach Members

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 15, 2022

The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court on Monday rejected the bail applications of Professor Hany Babu and three other accused in the ongoing Bhima Koregaon case.

The other three – Sagar Gorkhe, Ramesh Gaichor and Jyoti Jagtap – belong to the Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural group formed after the 2002 Gujarat riots to spread anti-caste and pro-democracy messages through poetry, music, and street theatre.

Babu, also an anti-caste activist, was arrested by the NIA on July 2020 as part of the Bhima Koregaon case aka Elgar Parishad case. The 54-year-old Delhi University professor was booked under the draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and has been in prison since. Prior to his arrest, the NIA had raided Babu’s Noida residence in 2019 without a warrant and confiscated several items.

The three others were arrested in September 2020.

The NIA has accused all of them of being part of a Maoist conspiracy to assassinate the Prime Minister and overthrow the government as well as causing caste violence at the annual Bhima Koregaon event in 2018.

Babu was not a part of the event, but has been accused of being a member of the banned organisation CPI(Maoist).

During the hearing on Monday, Babu’s counsel submitted that even if all the allegations against the professor stand true and he is charged with being a member of the banned organisation, the offence would not be punishable by more than 10 years of imprisonment. His lawyer also pointed out that Babu had already spent a year and a half in the prison and that the trial in the case was unlikely to begin in the near future.

However, Babu and the others were denied bail by the court.

Previously, back in September 2021, the Special NIA Court had rejected the application filed by Babu and co-accused Gautam Navlakha and Sudha Bharadwaj, seeking a copy of the draft charges submitted by the NIA.

Later in December, the Bombay High Court granted default bail to Bharadwaj, the 60-year-old lawyer and activist. However, the court rejected the bail applications of eight other accused in the same case – Sudhir Dawale, Varavara Rao, Rona Wilson, Advocate Surendra Gadling, Professor Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut, Vernon Gonsalves, and Arun Ferreira.

A recent review by The Wire revealed that at least nine phone numbers among the numerous targetted by the Pegasus spyware belonged to the activists, lawyers and academics arrested between June 2018 and October 2020 for their supposed role in the Elgar Parishad case. This includes Babu, Wilson, Gonsalves, Anil Teltumbde, Sen, Navlakha, Ferreira, and Bharadwaj.

Ivan Reitman, Director of ‘Ghostbusters’, Dies at 75; Hollywood Pays Tribute

BY Shrija Ganguly On February 15, 2022

Ivan Reitman, who directed and produced the first two films in the Ghostbusters franchise, died in his sleep at his home in California, on Saturday, his family told the Associated Press. He was 75.

“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life. We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always,” his family said in a statement.

Born in 1946, Reitman was four years old when his family escaped the communist regime in erstwhile Czechoslovakia and moved to Toronto, Canada. He studied music and drama at the McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Reitman started out by producing for television and the stage. His first commercial venture as a movie producer came with the 1975 film Shivers, followed by Rabid (1977) and National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978).

His directorial break came with the 1979 film Meatballs, which starred Bill Murray. Meatballs kickstarted a long collaboration between Reitman and Murray, and the two went on to work on multiple projects, including Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), and Ghostbusters II (1989).

His other notable association was with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made his comedy debut opposite Danny DeVito in Reitman’s Twins (1988). Schwarzenegger was only known as an action star up until that point. In September 2021, a sequel titled Triplets was announced, to be produced and directed by Reitman, with Tracy Morgan joining Schwarzenegger and DeVito as their long lost brother. The film was meant to go on floors this year.

By the time his second film with Schwarzenegger, Kindergarten Cop (1990) released, Reitman had established himself as the most successful comedy director in history. However, he slowed down on direction work during the 90s, and helmed only three projects, Dave (1993), Junior (1994), and Six Days, Seven Nights (1998). The 2000s saw even fewer films directed by Reitman. No Strings Attached (2011) and Draft Day (2014) were his last directorial ventures.

Reitman’s directorial slowdown coincided with an increased output on the production front. His last production venture was Ghostbusters: After Life (2021), directed by his son Jason Reitman. He also served as an executive producer on Space Jam: A New Legacy that same year.

Reitman is survived by his wife Genevieve Roberts, daughters Catherine and Caroline, and son Jason.

Several members of Hollywood paid tribute to the late director.

In a long note on Twitter, Schwarzenegger called Reitman comedy royalty, a great director and friend who took a chance and made a comedy film with him. The actor added that he was devastated by the news of his demise. “I’ll always be grateful that he took a chance on this Austrian action-hero in a comedy during a time when the studios just wanted me to focus on finding new ways to kill bad guys, blow things up and show off some muscle,” he wrote.

“Making Twins, Junior, and Kindergarten Cop with Ivan was heaven for me. Spending the last few years working with him on Triplets, and once again seeing his passion and genius up close, was a joy. Just last week, I was talking about how excited I was to be on set again with Ivan this fall,” he added.

Actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani wrote on Twitter, “A legend. The number of great movies he made is absurd. RIP.”

Paul Feig, director of Ghostbusters (2016), which was produced by Reitman, tweeted, “I’m in absolute shock. I had the honour of working so closely with Ivan and it was always such a learning experience. He directed some of my favourite comedies of all time. All of us in comedy owe him so very much. Thank you for everything, Ivan. Truly.”

Actor and producer Mindy Kaling, who starred in No Strings Attached, said, “Ivan Reitman was old school in the best way, and kind. I loved working with him. It’s sad he’s gone, it makes me feel older and like my childhood movies are more faraway than ever. RIP”

Sonam Kapoor’s Husband Anand Ahuja Terms Tax Evasion Allegations by Shipping Company “Baseless Slander”

BY Anindita Banerjee On February 14, 2022

Anand Ahuja, husband of actor Sonam Kapoor, took to Twitter on Saturday and termed the allegations of tax evasion levelled against him by an international shipping company “baseless slandering.” The shipping company, MyUS, had alleged on Twitter that Ahuja had doctored invoices in order to avoid paying taxes and customs duties.

In January, Ahuja had put up a post on the social media platform complaining about his bad customer experience with the online company, which allows customers to buy goods from US stores and ship them to India in bulk. “Does anyone know someone at MyUS – I have had a horrible experience recently. They are holding items improperly, rejecting formal paperwork, and refusing to acknowledge any reasoning.”

While the company initially responded to this by asking him to contact their customer service via email or chat, they later defended themselves by stating that the issue was not one of customer service quality but had to do with Ahuja’s doctoring of the invoices for the items in question.

“This is not a matter of customer service quality, new policies, or holding items improperly as was tweeted. Mr Ahuja misrepresented the price he paid for sneakers purchased on eBay which would result in him paying less duties and taxes,” they wrote.

Alleging that the doctored invoices listed prices that were up to 90% lower than what he had paid for the goods, the company added, “Put very simply, we have a legal obligation to provide accurate information when sending international shipments. Both MyUS and Mr Ahuja are subject to international export rules, and we intend to follow them.”

Kapoor too had taken to Twitter and shared her husband’s claims in January, adding, “Terrible customer service is shameful.” The company responded to her tweet as well, saying, “Unfortunately, this is not a customer service issue as Mr Ahuja attempted to use doctored invoices on international shipments, which we were not able to allow.”

Ahuja has now denied this accusation. He has countered that the shipping company refused to validate his receipts and bank statements in a bid to overcharge him and earn late fees.

“You should watch your baseless slandering – you were the ones that refused to validate PDF receipts and bank statements just so you could overcharge me and hold my goods longer to earn late fees,” his tweet on Saturday read.

In a follow-up tweet, he added that he had moved all his items and closed his account.

BTS Member Jungkook’s Solo ‘Stay Alive’ Breaks Records

BY Shrija Ganguly On February 13, 2022

Jungkook, a member of the K-pop boy band BTS, has his latest solo track Stay Alive, topping the charts in over 80 different regions across countries on Friday, making him the first-ever Korean solo artist to achieve the feat.

Stay Alive is a track from BTS’ original webtoon 7 Fates: Chakho, and is produced by co-member Suga. The webtoon was released on January 15 and so far, five episodes have been out online.

7 Fates: Chakho is a futuristic urban fantasy inspired by Joseon Dynasty’s tiger-hunting officers, known as chakhogapsa. It revolves around the story of seven boys connected by fate, who form a tiger hunting team called Chakho. Together, they face various obstacles and grow up together.

Stay Alive managed to rise up the iTunes top song charts in 51 regions of the world, in just a span of three hours after its release. Moreover, it soon became the first song by any Korean solo artist in history, to reach the No 1 spot in 80 different regions, within the shortest duration. Shortly after, Stay Alive topped the iTunes Top Songs charts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Earlier in December 2021, another BTS member V released a solo track Christmas Tree, which managed to top the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart. It was released as part of the original soundtrack from the Korean drama Our Beloved Summer.

Further, the seven-member band, comprising Jimin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, and Jin apart from V and Jungkook became the first Asian group to win the Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards (AMAs), in 2021.

BTS also went on to win the Favourite Pop Group award as well as the Favourite Pop Song award, for their single Butter, which they performed at the event. So far, the group has totally won nine awards, at the AMAs.

The K-pop group gained global recognition after their debut in 2013 and catapulted the genre of K-pop to a global fanbase.

Owing to its contributions to the Korean entertainment sector, the South Korean parliament passed a revision to the military service law, which currently allows K-pop artists, including BTS, to postpone partaking in military services until the age of 30, in December 2020.

Mumbai Court Summons Actor Shilpa Shetty and Family, Over Non-Repayment of Loan

BY Shrija Ganguly On February 13, 2022

Actor Shilpa Shetty, along with her sister, actor Shamita Shetty, and mother Sunanda Shetty have been summoned to appear before a Mumbai court over alleged non-repayment of a loan.

According to ANI, “Andheri court has issued an order summoning actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra, her sister Shamita Shetty and mother Sunanda Shetty, following a complaint by a businessman who has alleged a non-repayment of Rs 21 lakhs loan by them; court orders the three to appear on February 28.”

The complainant, an automobile agency owner, claimed that the trio had cheated him of Rs 21 lakh, after the actor’s father, Surendra Shetty, had borrowed the said amount from him, in 2015.

He added that Shetty, her mother and sister failed to repay the loan, which was borrowed at an annual interest rate of 18% and was due in January 2017. The cheque was reportedly addressed to Surendra’s company.

However, Surendra Shetty died in October 2016, but the sisters and their mother have refused to repay the loan despite having prior knowledge of it. They have also denied owing any money to the businessman.

Shilpa Shetty has been in the midst of several controversies, lately.

In January, Shetty was discharged by a Mumbai court in the obscenity case that was filed against her, after American actor Richard Gere publicly kissed her at a promotional event in Rajasthan, back in 2007. Shetty garnered immense criticism for the incident, for not resisting the act. The court, however, ruled that Shetty seemed to be a “victim” in the case and that Gere was the main accused, in January 2022.

In November 2021, Shetty was mentioned in an FIR along with husband Raj Kundra, for cheating the director of a fitness company.

Kundra was arrested in a pornography case for being the “key conspirator”, in July 2021. He was accused of making porn films under the pretext of producing short films for OTT platforms and distributing them on multiple apps. Many actors were reportedly involved in the case including Sherlyn Chopra, who had filed a complaint against both Shetty and Kundra, alleging that she was a victim of fraud and mental harassment. In response, the couple filed a defamation suit against her.

Kundra was granted bail in September after spending two months in jail.

Myanmar Filmmaker Arrested after a Year on the Run for Encouraging Protests Against Military Rule

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 12, 2022

Htun Zaw Win, the award-winning Burmese film director who is professionally known as Wyne, was arrested on Wednesday, nearly a year after he was added to the wanted list for allegedly encouraging government employees to join protests against the military rule in Myanmar.

Wyne, best known for directing the short film Ban that Scene, has won several accolades for his direction and screenplays from the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization. His most successful feature film is Adam, Eve and Datsa (2011). Wyne has worked on several films revolving around political themes such as land-grabbing and censorship.

According to his colleague, also a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, Wyne was arrested from his apartment in Yangon. His colleague added that the 48-year-old filmmaker, who had spent the past year on the run, is believed to have gone home to receive medical treatment for a stroke he suffered back in 2019, and from which he had not fully recovered.

Myanmar witnessed a military coup in February 2021, which ousted the Aung San Suu Kyi-led government that had earlier won a landslide victory over the military’s proxy party in November 2020.

The military takeover triggered widespread protests and a civil disobedience movement. Celebrities, including film directors, actors, singers, artists, and models, attended rallies against the military and used social media to extend their support to the movement.

Following this, the information ministry, under military control, blocked Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

By the end of February 2021, the military-ruled government began issuing arrest warrants against the celebrities supporting the movement and charged them with “incitement or spreading news to affect state stability” – an offence punishable by up to three years of imprisonment in Myanmar.

In 2021, at least 15 celebrities were arrested while more than 100, who had taken part in the protests, were put on the wanted list on state-run media along with their pictures. Half of those arrested were reportedly convicted by special courts inside the Insein Prison in Yangaon.

Besides this, press freedom in the country is severely restricted with many journalists detained and the licenses of several media outlets suspended.

Since the military takeover, 12,059 people have been arrested in the country and 9,056 of them remain detained, as per the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Rapper Snoop Dogg Accused of Sexual Assault by Former Dancer

BY Anindita Banerjee On February 11, 2022

Rapper Snoop Dogg has been sued for sexual assault and battery by a former dancer. The woman has alleged that the rapper assaulted her in 2013.

According to court documents accessed by People, the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, has also sued the rapper’s long-term friend and hip-hop personality Bishop Don Juan.

In the complaint filed on Thursday, the accuser, who is described as a professional dancer, host, model, and actress, claims that she worked for the rapper and Don Juan as a stage dancer for their concerts in exchange for gifts.

She alleges that the assault happened in late May 2013, on a day when she went with one of her friends to a performance of Snoop Dogg’s at Club Heat Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, California. They “ran into” Don Juan at the VIP area during the event, and he invited them back to the rapper’s studio, where they stayed until almost midnight, the complaint states.

Doe further alleges in the lawsuit that Snoop Dogg forced her to perform oral sex on him in the bathroom at the studio, adding that she did so out of fear for her life. The lawsuit states that the rapper’s “actions were sexually predatorial,” and adds that the dancer “found herself thinking about her job security if she displeased [him]. [She] felt pressured… due to his dominance, and his position of power over her, including his ability to hire and fire her and ensure that she would never be hired in his industry again.”

Jane Doe also states in the complaint that Don Juan later offered her a ride home from the studio. She allegedly fell asleep in the car and woke up to find they had arrived not at her home, but at his. However, the “exhausted” Doe went back to sleep and later she woke to him forcing her to perform oral sex before he rolled over and left her alone, per the lawsuit.

Snoop Dogg, who is set to perform at the Super Bowl’s halftime show later this week, has not issued an official statement regarding this lawsuit. However, he posted a note on social media about a “gold digger.” He wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, “Gold digger season is here, be careful…keep your guards up. And keep your circle small.”

Delhi HC Seeks Status Report on 2020 FIR Against Alt News Co-Founder

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 11, 2022

The Delhi High Court, on Thursday, sought a status report from the Delhi Police on the investigation in the FIR registered against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair over his August 2020 tweet.

The court, which was hearing Zubair’s plea seeking to quash the FIR, also extended the interim protection from arrest that was earlier granted to the journalist in September 2020. The case has been adjourned to May 17.

On August 6, 2020, in response to a now-deleted abusive comment on one of his fact-check tweets, from a Twitter user named Jagdish Singh, Zubair had tweeted the latter’s profile picture with his granddaughter and said, “Hello Jagdish Singh, does your cute grand daughter know about your part time job of abusing people on social media? I suggest you change your profile pic.” Zubair had, however, blurred out the face of the little girl in the image he shared.

Singh retaliated by filing multiple complaints against the journalist, accusing him of cyber sexual harassment of his granddaughter as well as offences under IPC section 509B (insult the modesty of a woman) and sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act (publishing or transmitting obscene and sexually explicit content).

Apart from Zubair, two other Twitter accounts – de_real_mask and syedsarwar20 – were also named in the FIR since they had commented on the same post. These two profiles have since been permanently suspended by Twitter.

On August 8, 2020, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) received a complaint from an organisation called Forum for Indigenous Rights – North-East India. The commission then wrote to the Deputy Commissioner of the Delhi Police and the nodal Cyber Cell officer, seeking action against Zubair.

Further, two more FIRs were lodged against Zubair in Delhi and Raipur, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly “threatening and torturing a minor girl” on Twitter.

Recently, in September 2021, the NCPCR also moved the Delhi High Court against Twitter’s refusal to remove Zubair’s tweet with the picture of the girl.

ED Freezes Rs 1.77 Crore Belonging To Journalist Rana Ayyub In Money Laundering Case

BY Chandhini R On February 11, 2022

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday froze Rs 1.77 crore belonging to journalist Rana Ayyub in connection to a money laundering case.

Ayyub is an Indian journalist and a staunch critic of the BJP. She is known for authoring the investigative book titled Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover up which is about the 2002 Gujarat riots.

ED’s action of locking up the assets was based on the FIR registered by the UP police against the journalist in September 2021. The complaint raised by one Vikas Sankrityayan alleged that Ayyub had diverted the funds collected a huge sum of money through Ketto, an online crowding platform, for relief work.

The police invoked sections of IPC, IT Act and also Section 4 of Black Money Act, alleging that she illegally acquired money from the public in the name of charity.

ED in a statement noted that the investigation makes it “clear that funds were raised in the name of charity in a pre-planned and systematic manner and the funds were not utilized completely” for the purpose with which they were raised.

The probe revealed that Ayyub allegedly transferred some funds to a newly opened current account in the bank. They also said that she deposited Rs 74.50 lakh in PM Cares fund and CM Relief Fund. “Ms. Rana Ayyub also created a Fixed Deposit of Rs 50 lakh from funds raised on Ketto and subsequently did not utilize these for relief works,” the statement read.

The alleged illegal money attached by ED is in the form of bank deposits in three different accounts. The attachment of properties means that it cannot be transferred or converted.

The report noted that Ayyub had started three campaigns — for slum dwellers and farmers; relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra; and help to those impacted by Covid-19.

Ketto in a mail to donors in August 2021, had said that law enforcement agencies informed them that the funds raised in the three campaigns by Ayyub were not utilized for the purpose and are still in the respective accounts.

ED also mentioned that of the total fund Rs 2.69 crores raised by Ayyub and portions were withdrawn in her father and sister’s account following which these were transferred to her account.

Ayyub submitted statements and documents of the expenses of Rs 31.16 lakh. However, the ED said, “After verification of the claimed expenses, it surfaced that the actual expenses were to the tune of Rs 17,66,970. Fake bills were found to have been prepared by Ms. Rana Ayyub in the name of some entities to claim expenses on relief work. Expenses made for personal travel by air were claimed as expenses for relief work.”

Update: On Friday, responding to the ED’s action, Ayyub put out a detailed statement mentioning how she began the relief campaign, temporary halts in the operation due to various reasons, responses to the Income Tax department and ED. She also explained the financial details of the campaign and noted that “no part of the relief campaign fund remains unaccounted for and there is absolutely no scope for any remote allegation of misuse of the funds for personal expenses.”

Speaking against the allegations, she added, “The smear campaign against me will not deter me from my professional commitment to continue to do my work as a journalist. I am confident that the allegations levelled against me will not withstand any fair and honest scrutiny.”

Actor Amol Palekar Hospitalised in Pune; Condition is Stable, Says His Wife

BY Anindita Banerjee On February 10, 2022

Amol Palekar, the veteran actor, has been admitted to the Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, after his health deteriorated. Palekar’s wife Sandhya Gokhale confirmed the news of his hospitalisation and said, “There is nothing to worry about Amol Palekar’s health. He is recovering now and his health is much better than before.”

On being asked about what the 77-year-old actor is suffering from, Gokhale told ABP News, “This is an old illness. Due to excessive smoking, he was admitted to the hospital ten years ago as well. But his condition is fine, now.” However, she refused to divulge further details about his health condition.

Palekar is best known for his 1970s classic Hindi films like Rajnigandha, Chitchor, Chhoti Si Baat, and Gol Maal. He was also seen in films such as Naram Garam, Gharonda, Shrimaan Shrimati, Rang Birangi, and Bhumika.

The actor recently returned to films, after a gap of 12 years with 200-Halla Ho, which also starred Barun Sobti, Ishtiyak Khan, and Sahil Khattar, among others. The film was directed by Sarthak Dasgupta and co-written by Sarthak and Gaurav Sharma, and was released on Zee5. It is based on a real-life incident, where a mob of 200 Dalit women lynched Akku Yadav, a gangster, robber, serial rapist, and killer, in an open court in Nagpur in 2004.

Apart from Hindi films, Palekar has also worked in and contributed to mainstream Marathi films. He made his film debut in 1971 in the Marathi film Bajiraocha Beta, before joining the Hindi film industry with Basu Bhattacharya’s Rajnigandha opposite Rakhee in 1974. Palekar also helmed television shows, notably, Kachchi Dhoop and Mriganaynee. The last film he directed was We Are On! Houn Jau Dya in 2013.

Palekar, who has also earned a name for his performances in other regional languages such as Bengali, Malayalam, and Kannada, has received one Filmfare award and six State awards for Best Actor.

CBI Summons Bengali Actor & TMC MP Dev in Cattle Smuggling Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 10, 2022

Dev, born Deepak Adhikari, the Bengali actor and All India Trinamool Congress MP, has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for interrogation on Tuesday, February 15 in connection with an ongoing cattle smuggling case.

Dev, who began his acting career in 2006 with the Bengali film Agnishapath, has worked in over 40 films till now. In 2014, he won the Lok Sabha elections as a TMC candidate from Ghatal constituency in Medinipore district in West Bengal and became a Member of Parliament. He won the seat once again in 2019.

The case in questions concerns cattle smuggling along the West Bengal-Bangladesh border. The CBI is currently investigating the alleged involvement of several Border Security Force (BSF), Customs and police officers, smugglers, and politicians in this operation.

In November 2020, the CBI first arrested Bengal-based cattle trader Enamul Haq for allegedly running the money-spinning cattle smuggling racket. It was reportedly during the interrogation and cross-examination of Haq’s accomplices that Dev’s name came up.

A summon has thus been issued to the actor seeking his deposition before the investigating officers at CBI’s Kolkata office at Nizam Palace.

However, TMC spokesperson Biswajit Deb claimed that Dev is the victim of political conspiracy. “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been using CBI and other central probe agencies against TMC leaders to exert pressure. It did not work in the assembly polls. Now they are using CBI in view of civic body elections. Dev has become a target,” he said.

Besides Haq, the CBI had also arrested BSF commandant Satish Kumar over his alleged involvement in facilitating the smuggling of cattle. During Kumar’s tenure as the commandant of the 36th battalion of the BSF in Malda district from 2015-17, the border force confiscated more 20,000 cows but the persons behind the racket were allegedly let free. The cattle seized by the BSF were then sold in Bangladesh, according to the CBI. As per the investigation so far, the BSF and customs officials diminished the prices of the cattle seized by the border-guarding force so that a small group of traders participating in the auction could buy them at a very low price.

The CBI had filed a chargesheet in the case in February 2021.

Susi Ganesan Cannot Appeal Against Leena Manimekalai’s Passport Impoundment Quashing: Madras HC

BY Anusha Sundar On February 10, 2022

The Madras High Court, on Wednesday, refused permission to filmmaker Susi Ganesan to file an appeal against the single bench’s order that quashed the impounding of filmmaker-poet Leena Manimekalai’s passport.

This is the most recent development in their ongoing legal battle following Leena’s #MeToo allegations against Ganesan. The latter filed a criminal defamation case against Leena in 2019 after she accused him of sexual harassment.

Citing this pending defamation case, Ganesan moved the Saidapet Magistrate Court last year to impound Leena’s passport, just as she was set to travel to Canada to pursue the last leg of her Master of Fine Arts course at York University. Her passport was consequently impounded in September by the Regional Passport Office and Leena challenged this in court.

In October, the Sessions and District Court of Chennai set aside the Saidapet Magistrate Court’s order to impound Leena’s passport. Ganesan then appealed to quash this order of the Sessions Court. But, in November, the Madras HC observed that Leena’s passport could not be impounded on the mere basis of a criminal defamation case being pending against her. Following this, in early December, a single-judge bench of the HC quashed the passport impoundment and directed the Regional Passport Officer to release Leena’s passport.

Ganesan then moved the Supreme Court, but the apex court refused to interfere in the order of the Madras High Court.

The director subsequently tried to file an appeal with the HC challenging its previous order. He again argued the same point, that the single judge’s order would affect his criminal defamation case, claiming that in the absence of impoundment, Leena could “easily cause delay in trial.”

However, the HC observed, on Wednesday, that the Supreme Court had already directed that the trial in the defamation case be completed within four months. The top court’s order further instructed Leena to co-operate with the trial proceedings and stated that her physical presence was not required during the hearing. The HC further noted that if the trial was not completed within the stipulated time on account of her fault, Ganesan was at liberty to file a contempt petition.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, therefore, ruled that there was “no substance” in Ganesan’s arguments, particularly in light of the Supreme Court order.

The Madras High Court thus refused to allow Ganesan to file an appeal against the single-bench order quashing Leena’s passport impoundment.

Film Fraternity Voices Concern over Karnataka Hijab Row, Heckling of Muslim Student

BY Anusha Sundar On February 9, 2022

Several film personalities have voiced concern over the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka. The issue began in December 2021, when six students at Government PU College for Girls in Udupi, Karnataka were prohibited from attending classes while wearing a hijab.

Hijab is a type of veil/headscarf worn by Muslim women as part of their religious belief. The college’s management objected to the students wearing it, claiming that it was against the institution’s dress code. Even as the students who were not allowed to attend the classes stood their ground and protested, further controversy erupted when several Hindu students in different colleges in the state began turning up wearing saffron shawls. They were also recently barred from entering the college premises.

Recently, a video went viral on social media, where a female student coming to college clad in a burqa is seen being heckled by a group of male students waving saffron scarves. While the men shouted slogans of Jai Shree Ram, the girl retorted with Allahu Akbar.

Following this, several film personalities took to Twitter to condemn the attack on the girl and to voice their concern over the hijab row.

Actor-producer Richa Chadha wrote, “Raise your sons better! A bunch of ugly, cowards attacking a lone woman in a pack and feeling proud of it? WHAT LOSERS! Shameful. They’ll be jobless, more frustrated and penniless in a few years. What poor upbringing! No sympathy, no redemption for them. I spit on your kind.”

Actor Swara Bhasker termed the incident a “shameful state of affairs.” She also shared a news article about the hijab-wearing students at the Udupi college being allowed back in but made to sit in separate classrooms, and wrote, “Apartheid/segregation waali feeling aayi.” (Feels like apartheid/segregation.)

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan tweeted in Tamil, “What is happening in Karnataka is worrisome. A religious wall is being erected between innocent students. What is happening in our neighbouring state should not happen in Tamil Nadu. It is time for progressive forces to be more wary.”

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan also shared the viral video and wrote, “Genocide is at the doorstep. It’s not just on Muslims (and Dalits) to fend for themselves. Progressive well-meaning Hindus will have to call out the hate within, demand accountability and force action! Your silent disassociation is meaningless.”

Sharing a representative viral drawing of a girl standing her ground against the intimidation of saffron-wearing men, cinematographer PC Sreeram, without taking any names, said, “They talk about development but end up doing what they are known for and what they have been doing whenever elections are around the corner. The fall is not far of.”

Naveen Mohamedali, director of the Tamil film Moodar Koodam, said in a tweet that he views both the thali (the sacred thread worn by married Hindu women) and the hijab as means of oppressing women. “But just as one cannot be compelled not to wear the thali, one cannot be prohibited from wearing the hijab. My mother, who was born a Muslim, did not wear the burqa. My wife, who was born a Hindu, refused to tie the knot,” he wrote, adding, in a follow-up tweet, that these decisions were made by the women themselves. “It is up to women to decide what to wear. Neither father/husband nor society has any say in this matter,” he wrote.

However, actor-politician Khushbu Sundar, who is currently affiliated with the BJP, sided with the authorities. She tweeted, “Education is not about religion, it’s about equality. I believe and am for wearing a uniform in school. The rules should be the same for all. Educational institutions are not to showcase your religion, but to show your strength as an Indian. Shame on those who play politics.”

In another tweet, she went on to say, “School is not a place to choose what you want to wear. It’s a place of discipline. Every educational institution should and must have a rule to show solidarity and respect towards learning. What you wear outside is your choice. In schools, respect the code of conduct. Respect learning.”

Meanwhile, the issue has been taken up in court. And on Wednesday, Karnataka High Court referred the case to a larger bench.

Praveen Kumar Sobti Dies at 74; Singeetam Srinivasa Rao Recalls Working with “Bheem” on ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’

BY Anusha Sundar On February 9, 2022

Actor Praveen Kumar Sobti died on Monday night at his New Delhi residence, aged 74. The actor, who had a chronic chest infection, succumbed to cardiac arrest.

Aside from his acting career, he was also an athlete (hammer and discus thrower), politician, and a Deputy Commandant with the Border Security Force. The Punjab-born Sobti was an Arjuna Awardee, two-time Olympian, and four-time Asian Games medallist.

While he is best known for playing Bheem, one of the Pandavas, in BR Chopra’s television series Mahabharat, the Tamil audience remembers him as another Bheem – the popular bodyguard character from his only Tamil film, the Kamal Haasan-starrer Michael Madana Kama Rajan (1990). The comedy drama, which features Haasan in four roles, was an overwhelming critical and commercial success. The line, “Bheem Boy, Bheem Boy,” uttered by one of Haasan’s characters in a hilarious sequence is still recounted by fans fondly.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao reminisces about working with Sobti on Michael Madana Kama Rajan. Calling Sobti a very famous and talented person, and noting that he had already starred as Bheem in Mahabharat and represented India in sports as well, Rao says that it was very interesting to rope him in for a comedy film.

“Our connection was quite a strange thing! A person of that stature will not agree for a comedy character. However, not only did he happily agree to do it, but he also enjoyed every bit of it! Throughout the shooting, he had fun with the role. He was such a wonderful person,” Rao tells us.

Asked if Sobti being an athlete had anything to do with him being cast for the role, Rao says, “We thought a person like Kamal Haasan should be accompanied by an escort who was tall and hefty. Instead of casting just anyone, choosing this artist, who had played Bheema in Mahabharat, to accompany the hero was in itself a very interesting concept, we thought. So, we chose him. The important thing to note was not us booking him, but the fact that he accepted the role.”

The filmmaker mentions that the Bheem Boy character became popular among children too. “Children also loved him and found him endearing. That was the biggest tribute to him. All the children used to call him Bheem Boy, Bheem Boy. It is very sad that we have lost such an endearing personality.”

Rao says it was a wonderful experience working with Sobti, and adds, “He also told us – I don’t know how far it is true – that he had a problem every time he had to travel by flight and would have to book two tickets because one seat could not accommodate him!”

Sobti is survived by his wife, daughter, two brothers, and a sister.

Munmun Dutta Appears Before Haryana Police, Interrogated for 4 Hours over Casteist Slur

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 8, 2022

Munmun Dutta, the actor best known for her performance in the Hindi television series Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma, appeared before Hansi police in Haryana on Monday. She was reportedly interrogated for four hours about the case registered against her for using a casteist slur, and later released on bail.

In May 9, 2021, Dutta released a video in which she stated that she did not want to look like a Bhangi, a term often used to refer to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community in a pejorative manner. She said that she instead “wanted to look good.”

The actor took down the video after facing flak on social media. And a day later, Dutta also issued an apology on social media stating that there was a language barrier and that the word used by her was misinterpreted.

Soon after, a complaint was filed against Dutta by Rajat Kalsan, Dalit rights activist and convenor of the National Alliance for Dalit Human Rights, in Haryana’s Hansi city police station. The complaint was registered under Section 3(1) (U) of the SC/ST Act.

A special court in Hisar rejected Dutta’s anticipatory bail plea on January 28, following which she had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the same.

On February 4, the High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Dutta and ordered her to appear before the investigating officer at Hansi before February 11. The court had also directed the officer to arrest the actor and release her on interim bail following interrogation. Further, the officer was instructed to present the investigation report before the High Court on February 25, the date of the next hearing.

As per this court order, Dutta had appeared at the Hansi police station on Monday, where she was interrogated and then released on bail.

Following the complaint from Kalsan, another complaint on the same issue was filed by the president of Akhil Bharatiya Balai Mahasangh, Manoj Parmar, at Indore. Parmar told Silverscreen India at the time that the actor’s video contained indecent language. He noted that the usage of the word Bhangi was a pejorative against the Balmiki community and one that should be illegal and prohibited.

Initially, the Indore police had refused to register the complaint from Parmar and his organisation. It was only accepted after members of the SC community staged a protest.

Later, a petition was also filed at the Supreme Court to club all the FIRs against Dutta in this matter and have the case registered at the Hansi City police station be treated as the main one. However, the court has not passed an order on this yet.

10 Rare Throwback Photos Shared by Lata Mangeshkar

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On February 7, 2022

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary singer fondly called the Melody Queen of India, died on Sunday in Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital at the age of 92.

The veteran singer was cremated with full state honours in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 6.30 pm on Sunday. Her last rites were attended by many, including actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Called the ’Nightingale of India’, Mangeshkar was born on September 28, 1929, in Indore. She began her musical career at the age of 13 and became the sole bread-winner of her family. She has recorded several songs for over a thousand Hindi films, besides singing in other languages, including Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

While several film personalities, took to social media following her demise, to share memories and photos of her, Mangeshkar’s own Instagram account has been a treasure trove of moments of her life.

Silverscreen India has curated 10 nostalgic photos shared by Mangeshkar herself that will take you down memory lane.

1. Lata Mangeshkar shared several pictures on Instagram of herself with music director Madan Mohan. Their collaborations were frequent and resulted in some of the most evergreen songs of all time.

2. Lata Mangeshkar shared a close friendship with late actor Dilip Kumar. In an interview with The Indian Express, she had said, “I never missed the opportunity to call on him. He was a superstar and I was rising on the horizon as a playback singer, but, when we met, he held me close to his heart like an elder brother and gave me the love and respect that only someone as pure as he could.”

3. The singer’s collaborations with music composers SD Burman and RD Burman are iconic. SD Burman reportedly once said, “Give me a harmonium, give me Lata (Mangeshkar), and I will make music.” In this picture, the two composers can be seen working with the late singer.

4. Late actor Meena Kumari has danced to many songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Sharing a photo of the actor looking on while she recorded a song, Mangeshkar wrote, “She and I were very close. She would often visit the recording studio and I would also visit her home. Her husband used to call me beti (daughter).”

5. Lata Mangeshkar was the eldest of five siblings and singer Asha Bhosle is one of her sisters. Despite several rumours of sibling rivalry, the two have sung around 50-60 songs together during the 1960s.

6. Lata Mangeshkar had met with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The late singer was a recipient of several awards, including India’s highest civilian honour – the Bharat Ratna. Her first honour from the Government of India was the Padma Bhushan, which came in 1969, during the tenure of Indira Gandhi.

7. The veteran singer also met with late former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam. She had shared this photo of the two them on his birth anniversary in 2020.

8. Lata Mangeshkar shared a close bond with late Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan. Calling him ‘anna‘ (elder brother), she had written on Twitter, “I feel blessed that he took me as his younger sister and I have embraced his family as my own.”

9. The legendary singer had met with late former Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. According to News18, when Mangeshkar sang Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo at the National Stadium on January 27, 1963, in the presence of the former PM, his eyes had welled up.

10. Lata Mangeshkar had sung music composer Bappi Lahiri’s first composition in the Bengali film, Daadu. She had shared a picture with the composer as a young boy on his birthday in November 2021. Following her demise, Lahiri reshared the photo on Sunday, with the caption, “Maa.”

Kerala HC grants Anticipatory Bail to Dileep & Other Accused in Conspiracy to Murder Case

BY Chandhini R On February 7, 2022

The Kerala High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to actor Dileep and the other accused in the conspiracy to murder case filed against them.

The single-judge bench consisting of Justice Gopinath P passed the order. The judge observed that the prosecution’s apprehensions regarding the accused not cooperating with the investigation can be addressed by imposing conditions and in case of any violation of these conditions, they can then apply for the arrest of the accused.

On January 9, the Kerala crime branch had filed a new FIR against Dileep and his associates for allegedly conspiring to kill the police officials who investigated the 2017 female actor abduction and assault case, in which Dileep is named as the eighth accused. The FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar.

Following this, on January 10, the accused moved the Kerala High court seeking pre-arrest bail in this FIR.

Since then, there have been several hearings on this matter. Senior Advocate Raman Pillai B represented Dileep, while TA Shaji was the Director-General of Prosecution.

During the last hearing on Friday, Shaji argued that custodial interrogation is essential, as the accused might otherwise tamper with the evidence and influence witnesses. The prosecution also brought up new audio clips in which Dileep is allegedly heard conspiring to kill the investigating officials. According to Shaji, in one audio clip, Dileep is heard saying that all the probing officers should be “killed in a group,” while in another clip, the actor can be heard saying that he wants to “burn these cops.”

Shaji also said that this case holds significance as it has an eyewitness: filmmaker Balachandrakumar, who has seen the hatching of the alleged conspiracy. He also claimed that the accused refused to cooperate during the police investigation.

On the other hand, Dileep’s counsel Pillai argued that if the accused were taken into custody, they might be probed about the sexual assault case. He also claimed that most of the allegations were cooked up to frame the actor and said there are discrepancies in Kumar’s statements.

It may be noted that before taking up Dileep’s bail case, Pillai represented Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was recently acquitted of charges of raping a nun, in a lower court.

Meanwhile, the female Malayalam actor who was abducted and sexually assaulted in 2017 has moved the Supreme Court seeking a probe into the alleged leaking of crime visuals from a lower court in the past.

Update: The bail conditions imposed by the court on Dileep and the other accused have been released. These include signing separate bonds for a sum of Rs 1 lakh each, appearing before investigation officers at the crime branch police station as and when summoned to do so, co-operating with the probe, and being available for interrogation whenever required.

The order also states that the petitioners shall not tamper with any evidence or influence any witness. It further requires them to surrender their passports and not be involved in any other crime while on bail. Any violation of these conditions would give the investigating officers liberty to seek the cancellation of the pre-arrest bail.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Maharashtra, WB, MP, Others Declare State-Wide Mourning, Public Holidays Following Lata Mangeshkar’s Demise

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 7, 2022

Several states, including Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, have declared state-wide mourning and public holidays following the death of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday.

Mangeshkar, the 92-year-old singer fondly called the ‘Nightingale of India’, died on Sunday morning in Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital due to multiple organ failure at 8.12 am. She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after testing positive for Covid-19 and was also diagnosed with pneumonia.

Mangeshkar was cremated with full state honours in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 6.30 pm on Sunday.

Following her demise, the Government of India announced that a two-day national mourning would be observed in memory of the late singer on Sunday and Monday. Further, as a mark of respect, the national flag was flown at half-mast on Sunday and this will be continued on Monday and there will be no official programmes.

Soon after, the Maharashtra government declared a public holiday as well as state-wide mourning on Monday to pay respect to the late singer. The Bombay High Court also announced the suspension of all judicial hearings at all its benches on Monday to mourn the singer’s passing. As per the official statement issued by the HC, subordinate courts in Maharashtra, South and North Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu will remain closed on Monday.

The West Bengal government also announced a half-day holiday on Monday in the late singer’s memory and further declared that her songs will be played at every public place, government installation, and traffic signal for the next 15 days.

Other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Sikkim have declared two-day mourning where no cultural programmes will be organised and the flag will remain half-mast. Goa has declared three-day state mourning from Sunday to Tuesday.

Mangeshkar’s home state Madhya Pradesh also declared two days of mourning. The late singer was born in Indore in 1929.

‘Nightingale of India’ Lata Mangeshkar Dies at 92, Tributes Pour In

BY Anindita Banerjee AND Ananya Shankar On February 6, 2022

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary 92-year-old singer, died on Sunday morning in Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital. According to ANI, the singer died due to multiple organ failure at 8:12 in the morning. Dr. Pratit Samdani, who was treating the veteran singer, said in a statement, “It is with profound grief that we announce the sad demise of Lata Mangeshkar at 8:12 am. She has died because of multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post COVID19.”

Fondly called ‘Nightingale of India’, she was first admitted to the hospital on January 8 after testing positive for Covid-19. Her niece confirmed to ANI that she had mild symptoms and was undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), at the Breach Candy hospital, as merely a preventative measure owing to her age. When she began to show signs of improvement, she was taken off the ventilator on January 28 as a trial. However, her condition worsened on Saturday and she was once again put on ventilator support.

Earlier, in November 2019, the singer was admitted to the same hospital, after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

Born on 28th September 1929 in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Mangeshkar began her career in the 1940s as a 13-year-old, entering the film industry as her family’s sole bread earner. In a career spanning over seven decades, the singer has recorded several songs for over a thousand Hindi films, besides other languages including Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. Her first recording was for the 1942 Marathi film Kiti Hasal and her debut in playback singing was for the 1947 Hindi film Aap Ki Seva Mein.

Among her iconic songs, some were Lag Jaa Gale, Yeh Galiyan Yeh Chaubara, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, Bahon Mein Chale Aao, Tere Liye, and many more. In Tamil, she lent her voice to several songs including Enthan Kannaalan, Ennai Kande Selvai, and Valaiyosai.

Known as the ‘Melody Queen of India‘, Mangeshkar received the Padma Bhushan in 1969, followed by the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1989 for her contributions to Indian cinema, and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. She was also bestowed with the Bharat Ratna, the ‘highest civilian honour’ in India, in 2001 and later went on to receive the ‘Legion of Honour’ award, from the Government of France.

In 1974, the Guinness Book of Records ranked her as the most recorded artiste in history. She had reportedly sung over 25,000 songs between 1948 and 1974.

Her last full album was for the late filmmaker Yash Chopra-directed 2004 film Veer Zaara, while her last song was Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki, which was released on March 30, 2021, as a tribute to the Indian Army.

After the news about Mangeshkar’s demise broke out, several prominent personalities and political leaders condoled her death.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I am anguished beyond words. The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that a state funeral will be accorded to the late singer.

Music composer and singer AR Rahman tweeted, “Love, Respect and Prayers.”

Actor Mahesh Babu said, “Deeply saddened by Lata Mangeshkar ji’s demise. A voice that defined Indian music for generations… Her legacy is truly unparalleled. Heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and all her admirers. Rest in peace Lata ji. There will never be another.”

The Valaiyosai singer will be cremated with full state honours in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 6:30 PM on Sunday evening. The government announced that two-day national mourning will be observed to condole her death and the national flag will fly at half-mast during that period.

Lata Mangeshkar is survived by her siblings Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar, Hridyanath Mangeshkar, and Usha Mangeshkar.

Lata Mangeshkar Put on Ventilator Support Again as Health Deteriorates

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 5, 2022

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary singer who has been hospitalised since January 8 and was taken off the ventilator last week, has once again been put on ventilator support on Saturday.

Dr Pratit Samdani, who has been treating the singer, has told ANI that currently Mangeshkar is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and has once again been put on ventilator support due to her worsening health condition, for which she will remain under observation.

The 92-year-old veteran singer has been admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai since 20 days. On January 8, the singer was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. She has been in the ICU since then and was under treatment for pneumonia.

The previous week, on January 28, she showed signs of improvement after she was taken off the ventilator as a trial.

The singer’s representatives had taken to social media to share the update on her health. “Lata didi continues to be in the ICU at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai under treatment. She has been given a trial of extubation (off the invasive ventilator) this morning,” they wrote.

“Presently, she is showing signs of improvement but will remain under observation of the team of doctors, headed by Dr Pratit Samdani,” they added. “We thank each one of you for your prayers and good wishes.”

When Silverscreen India reached out to Dr Samdani a week after she was admitted, he had mentioned that it was hard to say when she would recover. “She is still in ICU and under observation. Recovery takes time and it is difficult for me to say when she will come out of ICU. Pray for her,” the doctor had said.

We tried to reach out to Dr Samdani, but he was out of reach.

Known as the ‘Melody Queen of India’, Mangeshkar received the Padma Bhushan in 1969, followed by the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1989, and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. She was also bestowed with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in India, in 2001. She has received the Legion of Honour award from France as well.

Mangeshkar’s last recorded song was the independent single Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki in 2019.

Female Actor Abduction & Assault Case: Survivor Moves SC Seeking Probe Into Alleged Leak of Crime Visuals

BY Chandhini R On February 5, 2022

The female Malayalam actor who was abducted and sexually assaulted in 2017 has now moved the Supreme Court seeking probe into the alleged leaking of crime visuals from a lower court in the past, Onmanorama reported.

The survivor has submitted a letter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court noting violation of her privacy with the visuals being leaked. She has sent a copy of the letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Human Rights Commission.

Citing news reports, the survivor said that visuals were accessed by someone at the Principal and Sessions Court of Ernakulam. She added that she faced grave injustice even though she hoped to get justice from the court.

It may be noted that the assault incident took place on February 17, 2017, and the entire crime was filmed by one of the accused to blackmail the actor. The next day, the first accused, Pulsar Suni, was identified and the visuals of the crime were recovered from him.

According to The News Minute, after a series of transfers to courts and forensic labs, in December, the visuals were shown to the accused (including actor Dileep who allegedly masterminded the crime) at the magistrate’s chamber. In March 2018, the pen drive and memory card were sent to the Principal and Sessions Court of Ernakulam. These visuals were at this court till March 16, 2019. And on December 29, 2019, the state forensic department had confirmed that the visuals were leaked from this trial court.

Besides, the survivor also referred to the revelations made by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar who alleged that actor Dileep and other accused had watched the visuals at his home when the court had denied the request to possess the same.

The recent development comes at the time when Dileep along with his associates is facing a new trial in the conspiracy to murder case. On January 9, the Kerala crime branch had filed an FIR against Dileep and four others, for allegedly conspiring to kill police officials who investigated them, in the female actor abduction and assault case, in which Dileep is the eighth accused. The FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. Following this, the accused moved to the Kerala High court, seeking pre-arrest bail in the new case filed against them. The court is likely to pronounce the verdict in his bail plea on February 7.

In January this year, the survivor wrote to the Kerala CM seeking further investigation in the case in view of the recent revelations made by director Balachandra Kumar. She also publically opened up about the incident for the first time through her official social media account and extended her gratitude to all those who have supported her.

For a complete timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

Punjab & Haryana HC Grants Interim Anticipatory Bail to Munmun Dutta in Casteist Remarks Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 5, 2022

Munmun Dutta, the actor best known for her performance in the Hindi television series Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma, was on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case filed against her for using a casteist slur against a Scheduled Caste (SC) community in a video.

The court granted her interim anticipatory bail on the ground that the actor had joined the investigation within a week. The next date of hearing has been scheduled for February 25.

In a video released on May 9, 2021, Dutta stated that she did not look like a Bhangi, a term often used in a pejorative manner to refer to an SC community. She said that she instead “wanted to look good”.

The video was taken down by the actor after facing flak on social media.

Speaking to Silverscreen India on Thursday, the complainant and President of Akhil Bharatiya Balai Mahasangh, Manoj Parmar said that the actor’s video contained indecent language. He added that the usage of the word Bhangi was against the Balmiki community, an SC community. It should be illegal and prohibited, he added.

Initially, the Indore police had refused to register a complaint by Parmar and his organisation. It was only accepted after members of the SC community staged a protest.

As per the report, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court to club all the First Information Reports against the actor and the case registered at the Hansi City police station to be treated as the main one.

During the hearing on Friday, Dutta’s counsel Ruchi Sekhri argued that one portion of the vlog was taken out of context and made viral and that the actor had already apologised for her statement. She added that there was a language barrier due to which Dutta was not aware of the word’s meaning. If the entire vlog is taken into consideration, Dutta had used the remark for herself and that no offence under Section 3 of the Act is made out as the ingredients of Section 3(1)(u) are not fulfilled, her counsel further argued.

The court observed that it would be inappropriate to hold a mini-trial at this stage in the case to conclude if an offence under section 3 of the SC&ST Act is made out. At the same time, the court also said that it is debatable that describing herself by using such an objectionable remark can itself be enough to fall under the same section.

Dileep’s Anticipatory Bail Plea: Kerala HC to Pronounce Verdict on February 7

BY Chandhini R On February 4, 2022

The Kerala High Court, on February 7, is likely to pronounce the verdict in actor Dileep‘s bail plea in the conspiracy to murder case filed against him.

On January 9, the Kerala crime branch had filed an FIR against Dileep and four others, for allegedly conspiring to kill police officials who investigated them, in the female actor abduction and assault case, in which Dileep is the eighth accused. The FIR was filed based on allegations raised by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar. Following this, the accused moved to the Kerala High court, seeking pre-arrest bail in the new case filed against them.

During Friday’s hearing, the Director-General of Prosecution TA Shaji, while opposing Dileep’s bail plea, stated that custodial interrogation of the accused is essential. He said that if the accused are not taken into custody for probing, they might tamper with the evidence and influence witnesses.

He argued that this case holds significance as it has an eyewitness (filmmaker Balachandrakumar) who has seen the hatching of the alleged conspiracy. He also alleged that the accused denied cooperation during the police investigation.

“We are crippled from making an effective investigation. Had there been a custodial interrogation we would not be in this catch 22 situation,” he said.

The prosecution also brought up new audio clips in which Dileep is heard allegedly conspiring to kill the probing police officials. According to Shaji, in one audio clip, Dileep is heard saying that all the probing cops should be ‘killed in a group’. He noted that in another audio clip, the actor can be saying that he wants to ‘burn these cops’.

He added that some of the witnesses have identified the voice of the accused in the submitted audio clips. Another allegation raised during Friday’s hearing was that the accused delayed providing the passwords for their phones which were submitted to the court recently.

The accused’s counsel Senior Advocate Raman Pillai B however stated that the accused had provided the password for their phones. Opposing custodial interrogation, he said that if the accused were taken into custody, they might be probed about the sexual assault case. To this, Judge said that his notes reflect the same worry. The counsel also indicated that there are discrepancies in filmmaker Kumar’s statement.

When the counsel said that he wanted to submit a legal reply to the prosecution’s statement, the judge directed him to do it by Saturday morning. During the previous hearing on Thursday, Pillai stated that most of the allegations were cooked up to frame the actor.

Dileep Seeks Suspension of investigation in the new probe

The actor, in a separate plea, has moved the HC seeking to suspend further probe into the conspiracy to murder case.

In the petition, he has alleged that moving ahead with this ‘sham investigation’ infringes upon his right to a fair trial and added that it is an abuse of the process of law. He also called the case a “deliberate and calculated attempt” of the prosecution to derail the trial in the 2017 case. He further pointed out that the report was submitted by the Investigating Officer on 29th December 2021, the exact date when the Officer was scheduled to be examined as the last witness for the prosecution at the trial court.

For a full timeline of the female actor abduction and assault case, see here.

SC Grants Protection from Arrest to Sherlyn Chopra in 2020 Obscenity Case

BY Namrata Ganguly On February 4, 2022

Hindi actor Sherlyn Chopra was granted protection from arrest by the Supreme Court on Friday in the 2020 porn film case.

The other accused in the case include Raj Kundra, the husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, and model-actor Poonam Pandey.

Earlier, in January, the Supreme Court had granted interim protection to Pandey in this case. Chopra’s counsel subsequently submitted a petition before the apex court seeking similar relief.

Following a hearing on Friday, the court issued a notice to the prosecution and directed that no coercive action be taken against Chopra.

The case dates back to October 2020, when the Cyber Cell registered an FIR based on a complaint by Madhukar Krishan Keni, a 67-year-old retired Customs and Central Excise officer, about the broadcasting of nude, erotic content on an OTT platform. The complaint also alleged that Chopra has featured in these video clips.

The FIR was lodged under section 292 (sale of obscene material) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 67 and 67A (transmission of sexually explicit material) of the IT Act, and provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

On November 6, 2020, over 20 people were booked by the Nodal Cyber Police, Mumbai.

In August 2021, the Bombay High Court had granted Kundra interim protection from arrest in this case, while he was in jail for a similar charge of pornography, which has been under investigation since February 2021. This protection was later extended.

However, later in November, the Bombay High Court had denied anticipatory bail to six of the accused in the 2020 pornography case, including Pandey, Kundra and Chopra. But, the HC granted them four weeks to approach the Supreme Court.

In December, the Supreme Court granted four-week protection from arrest in this case to Kundra, who is currently out on bail in the ongoing 2021 porn film case.

This was followed by Pandey’s successful petition for the same, and now Chopra’s.

Meanwhile, Chopra has also been involved in the 2021 porn film case. She claimed to be the first to give a statement to the Maharashtra Cyber Cell in March and was later summoned by the Property Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch in August for questioning in connection to the case.

Director Adoor Gopalakrishnan Donates Ancestral Land to Kerala Govt Housing Scheme for the Poor

BY Chandhini R On February 4, 2022

Veteran Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has decided to donate his ancestral property under the new scheme of the Kerala government, which proposes to build houses for the poor.

The filmmaker informed the Minister of Local Self Government MV Govindan of his decision and the latter accepted his offer. The filmmaker has pledged to donate 13 cents of land at his hometown in Adoor.

Gopalakrishnan’s decision came in response to the government’s new campaign – Manasodithiri Mannu – seeking contributions from the public to provide housing for the poor. Minister Govindan inaugurated the campaign in January and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the initiative aims to provide houses for 2.5 lakh families within three years.

Govindan, who visited the filmmaker on Thursday and accepted his offer, noted that it was a great gesture and should inspire others to do the same. Gopalakrishnan said that he would soon visit his hometown to transfer the land to the concerned local body official.

The celebrated filmmaker was born in Pallickal village near Adoor. He worked as a government officer before entering the cinema industry.

Gopalakrishnan studied screenwriting and direction at the Film and Television Institute in Pune. In a career spanning over five decades, the 80-year-old filmmaker has made only 12 feature films. However, his body of work includes several short films and documentaries.

He made his first feature film titled Swayamwaram in 1972. Some of his prominent works include the short films A Great Day (1965), Mathilukal (1990), Naalu Pennungal (2007) and a documentary on dancer Kalamandalam Gopi. His last feature was Pinneyum (2016). In 2019, he made a short film titled Sukhantyam.

Gopalakrishnan has won 17 National Film Awards and 17 Kerala State Film Awards. He is also the recipient of accolades like Padma Shri, Padma Vibushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award and JC Daniel Award for his contributions to cinema.

Additionally, Gopalakrishnan has held various film-related public posts, including being a committee member of the National Film Award and Chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala in 1999. He also headed the National Film Development Corporation of India.