The Bombay High Court, on Tuesday, granted interim protection from arrest to filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar in the FIR filed over his Marathi movie Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha.
The FIR was lodged against Manjrekar and the film’s producers, last week, based on a complaint by one Seema Deshpande of Bharatiya Stree Shakti organisation, alleging that the film features obscene scenes involving children. The case has been booked under IPC sections 292 (distribution of obscene content), 34 (common intention), section 14 of POCSO (Protection of Child From Sexual Offense) Act, and sections 67, 67B of the IT Act.
Following this, the filmmaker had approached the Bombay HC seeking to have the case quashed. He also sought temporary protection from arrest. On Friday, the court said it could not grant blanket protection in the case.
Manjrekar’s counsel, however, argued that the court has often considered appeals of criminals and granted them interim relief, so the same should be granted to him as well. Manjrekar further told the court that he is an artist and what has been shown in the film is a form of his artistic expression.
Deshpande’s lawyer, advocate Prakash Salsingikar, told Silverscreen India that the court granted interim protection to Manjrekar on Tuesday, but asked him to co-operate with the police during the investigation.
Salsingikar explained that when the petition was heard on Tuesday, Manjrekar’s counsel argued that for offences punishable by up to 7 years, the police are required to give notice to the accused to join the investigation, and if the person complies, they cannot be arrested. The filmmaker submitted that he would comply with the notice and provide all assistance to the police. “On these terms, the court has granted interim relief,” said Salsingikar.
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He further said, “The protection has been granted until the final hearing, which is yet to be scheduled by the court.” He added that the date of the hearing would be set later on Tuesday.
Previously, a separate complaint about the same film was filed before the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate Court by the Kshatriya Maratha Seva Sanstha. Alleging that the film portrays women and children in an objectionable manner, the complainants sought action against Manjrekar and the producers under IPC sections 292 (distribution of obscene content), 295 (punishment for obscene acts or words in public), and 34 (common intention), and the Indecent Representation of the Women Prohibition Act.