SC to hear petitions of Tandav makers, actor

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday is scheduled to hear three petitions filed separately by actor Zeeshan Ayyub, Amazon Prime India creative head Aparna Purohit and the makers of the web series ‘Tandav’ seeking protection from arrest in the seven FIRS registered against them in various states over allegations of hurting religious sentiments and telecasting objectionable content.

The petitions will be heard by a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan. Other judges on the bench include justices R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah.

The petitions are likely to be argued by a team of senior advocates, led by veteran lawyer Fali S Nariman. The petitions have requested the top court to club all the seven FIRS and transfer them to a court in Mumbai. Out of seven FIRS, three FIRS are pending in Lucknow, Greater Noida and Shahjahanpur – for the alleged inappropriate depiction of UP Police personnel, deities, and adverse portrayal of a character playing the role of Prime Minister in the series.

Two FIRS have been registered in Madhya Pradesh while one FIR each have been lodged in Karnataka and Bihar. Apart from the FIRS, at least three other criminal complaints are pending in different states, including Maharashtra, Delhi and Chandigarh.

The petitions have maintained that it would cause severe harassment to those associated with ‘Tandav’ to face prosecution in various states and that it would be just and fair to club all the cases at one place, preferably in Mumbai which is the ordinary place of residence of the petitioners.

Seeking protection from arrest till all the FIRS are clubbed and sent to one court, the petitions have added that the apex court should stay all the coercive action against them for the time being.