Ranveer Singh 'Nude' Photoshoot | Plea In Calcutta High Court Seeks Forfeiture Of Magazine's Printed Copies, Blocking Of Its Website

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea has been moved before the Calcutta High Court seeking direction to the State Of West Bengal and officials authorities to forfeit all the printed copies of a magazine named Paper Magainze published on July 23 which carried famous Bollywood Actor Ranveer Singh's 'Nude' photo as its cover image.

The plea has been moved by one Nazia Ilahi Khan alleging that Singh's image on the Magazine's cover page is nothing but obscene as per the opinion of the public at large. The plea also seeks to block the Magazine's website within the state of West Bengal

Earlier, the petitioner had moved a representation before respondents numbers 1 to 3 [State of West Bengal, Principal Secretary, Dept of Information and cultural affairs ane Electronics and Secretary, Dept of Information and cultural affairs and Electronics] for blocking the access of the public, particularly in the State of West Bengal to the website of the Magazine.

In her representation, she had also prayed for forfeiture of the copies of the Magazine, however, since no action was taken by the respondent numbers 1 to 3 in that regard, the Petitioner moved to the Court.

In her PIL plea, the petitioner has submitted that the naked picture of Ranveer Singh would deprave the mind of the public at large in the state of West Bengal, especially of the minors, and therefore, the plea adds that the circulation of the Magazine in question needs to be stopped immediately.

"...on 23rd July, 2022, respondent number 4 (Ranveer Singh) posed naked for a photo shoot which was printed as a cover picture for respondent number 5 (Paper Magazine) which is a foreign-based magazine and numerous people all over the world including India is having access to the same. It was seen in those pictures that respondent number 4 posed naked for his most recent shoot for Paper magazine (respondent number 5) cover. Respondent number 4 was clicked on a Turkish rug wearing nothing but his birthday suit. He can be seen striking many poses too being completely naked. Such pictures are nothing but obscene in nature which is an offence under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860," the plea states.

It may be noted that Ranveer Singh is already facing an FIR in Maharashtra for posing and publishing his 'nude' photoshoot pictures on various social media portals. The FIR has been lodged under Sections 292, 293 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.