CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed all further proceedings on a complaint against film director AR Murugadoss, pending before the Central Crime Branch (CCB). Justice N Anand Venkatesan, who granted the stay while passing interim orders on a petition from the director on Friday, posted the matter after six weeks.
Following a complaint from one G Devarajan of Sembium, CCB had registered an FIR against Murugadoss.
In his petition seeking to quash the proceedings, he submitted that no prima facie case was made out against him. In a free democracy, criticising the government policy was not an offence.
In fact, it was a fundamental right guaranteed to citizens under Article 19(1) (a).
Apart from the reasonable restrictions imposed under article 19(2), the right to freedom of expression, which are deemed to be projected as an objectionable wrong against a specific political party, will amount to a tyrannical rule, unjustifiable before the eyes of law.
Further, Section 5A of Cinematograph Act created a legal bar against any such prosecution.
It laid down that after granting of film certification under section 5A or 5B of the Act, the applicant of the film certification, producer and distributors were not liable for any punishment under any law in respect of any matter contained in the film. Also, the disputed scenes had already been removed.
So, no offence as claimed by the complainant was committed by him, he said.