Wild Karnataka Documentary: Karnataka High Court Extends Interim Order Restraining Makers From Dealing With The Film Till September 3

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday extended the interim order passed by it on June 29 by which it had restrained the makers of the documentary 'Wild Karnataka' from dealing with the film in any manner. The order has been extended till September 3.

The film is a 52-minute natural history documentary based on the state's rich biodiversity, which first premiered on March 3, 2019.

The court has restrained the makers of the film and anyone claiming through them from using, publishing, reproducing, broadcasting, telecasting, marketing, selling, distributing, exhibiting or in any way dealing with the film or any part of it or the raw footage captured by them under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered between them and the Karnataka Forest Depart in November 2014.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda directed the respondents to file their statement of objections to the petition filed by Ravindra N Redkar and Ullash Kumar RK, against the alleged commercialization of the film and deprivation of the Karnataka Forest Department (KFD) to its rightful share of proceeds by September 2.

Counsel for the petitioners submitted to the court that the forest department has recently signed a second Memorandum of Understanding and requested the court to stay the same. However, the bench clarified that since the MoU is not challenged before the court it could not consider granting any relief in that regard. It however allowed the petitioners to file an appropriate application.

The plea states,

"The Public Exchequer has been cheated and deprived of Crores of Rupees worth of revenue and furthermore, the Tiger Foundations/P.A.D.F.s have been deprived of donations which would have legitimately served the cause of conservation, especially in the current pandemic when the need to protect our natural resources and maintain a clean and healthy environment is highlighted."

The Petitioners claims that after the release of the film, once the KFD started becoming aware of the scale of the alleged scam and the illegalities being perpetrated by the respondents along with their accomplices, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Publicity and ICT) prepared a scathing Report dated 15.04.2020 categorically setting out the illegalities perpetrated and he suggested several measures to be taken in the matter.

Despite the KFD itself arriving at a conclusion that police complaints must be filed in the matter, that audits must be conducted by the Principal Accountant General (Economic & Revenue Sector Audit), Bangalore and the 5th to 7th Respondents must be blacklisted with other Forest Departments being warned amongst other punitive measures, no action has been taken in the matter deliberately right from 2019.

The petition prays for directions to initiate punitive action against the respondents in terms of law pursuant to the enquiry report filed by a Court-appointed Committee. It also seeks restoration of all profits to the Tiger Conservation Fund/P.A.D.F.s.

The matter will be next heard on September 3.