Defamation Complaint Filed Against Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma For His Tweet About Presidential Candidate Draupadi Murmu

"Ram Gopal Varma has deliberately made derogatory comments against [Draupadi Murmu] which on the face itself is offensive, obnoxious and smacks of the underlying malice and mischief intended tarnished image of and reputation of proposed candidate Draupadi Murmu cause embarrassment and hurts me", the complaint stated.

On 22^nd June 2022, Ram Gopal Varma had tweeted "If Drapaudi is the President who are the Pandavas? And more importantly, who are the Kauravas?"

He later tweeted, "This was said just in an earnest irony and not intended in any other way...Draupadi in Mahabharata is my favourite character but since the name is such a rarity I just remembered the associated characters and hence my expression. Not at all intended to hurt sentiments of anyone."

Subhash B. Rajora filed a complaint in the Nirmal Nagar police station on 25^th June and in the State Commission of Women on 29^th June. He requested registration of FIR under relevant provisions of IPC read with SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On 14^th July he has filed a complaint before the Metropolitan Magistrate and alleged that no legal action has been taken by the police and the State Commission of Women. He has accused Ram Gopal Varma of offences under sections 499 (defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC as well as provisions of IT Act.

The complaint will be heard on October 11, 2022.