Tandav Controversy:Allahabad High Court Grants Interim Protection For Amazon Content Head Aparna Purohit, Reserves Order On Her Plea For Anticipatory bail

The Bench of Justice Siddharth gave this order after hearing the arguments of both the sides in the Anticipatory Bail Plea filed by Purohit in connection with a matter registered against her.

It may be noted that an application for anticipatory bail was filed before the High Court on behalf of Aparna Purohit in connection with an FIR was registered in Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh against Aparna Purohit and others under sections 153-A (1) (B), 295-A, 505 (1) (B), 505 (2) of IPC.

Significantly, a First Information Report (FIR) has also been registered against Aparna Purohit, 'Tandav' Web Series Director Ali Abbas Jafar, Producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra and Writer Gaurav Solanki and others at Hazratganj Kotwali in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a bad light in the web-series Tandav and 'which could lead to religious flare-ups'.

The Complaint, lodged by Senior Sub Inspector Amar Nath Yadav states that on perusal of twitter handles and other social media platforms, angry outburst on social media against the content of the web series (Tandav) was noticed and that people are posting its clippings.

The Complaint stated that in the 22^nd minute of episode number 1, there are dialogues which may spread caste-based enmity.

Also, it states that the person holding a dignified post like that of prime minister has been shown in a very derogatory manner throughout the web series.

In fact, the UP Police had reached Mumbai to investigate the case.

However, last month, the Bombay High Court granted transit anticipatory bail to Tandav web series director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Mehra, Amazon content head Aparna Purohit and writer Gaurav Solanki enabling them to seek regular pre-arrest bail from Uttar Pradesh.

The three-week anticipatory transit bail was granted by Justice PD Naik days after the Hazratganj Police in UP booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act for allegedly portraying Hindu gods in a bad light.

As reported by The Press Trust of India (quoting sources), taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in web series 'Tandav', the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday (17^th January) sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on the issue.

"The ministry has taken cognizance of the matter (complaints) and asked Amazon Prime Video to explain," a source in the ministry said.

'Tandav', starring actors Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Kumud Mishra, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Gauhar Khan and Kritika Kamra, premiered on the streaming platform Amazon Prime last month.

Significantly, last month the Supreme Court, while observing that "You Cannot Hurt Religious Sentiments", issued notices on a plea filed by the Director, Producer, Writer and Actor of the web series Tandav seeking for clubbing and transferring of criminal proceedings which have been initiated against them in various cities for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

A Bench comprising of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy and MR Shah refused to grant any interim protection to the accused persons apprehending arrest from Police departments of six states.

Case title - Aparna Purohit v. State of U.P [Criminal Misc. Anticipatory Bail Application No. - 2640 of 2021]

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