NEW DELHI: Granting further relief to filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the bunching of all FIRs filed against her in various states for depicting Goddess Kaali as smoking a cigarette in a poster of her film Kaali, and transferring them to the Delhi Police.
Multiple FIRs had been lodged against her in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, while extending its interim order protecting her from coercive action, also gave her the liberty to approach the Delhi High Court for quashing the FIRs.
On January 20, while granting her interim protection, the bench had said the FIRs would cause serious prejudice to her. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, sought directions to her for appearing before a court in connection with the FIRs.
“This is all about one film and moreover she is a US citizen and she can appear virtually before the court, if required,” the CJI said. In her plea filed through advocate Indira Unninayar, Manimekalai argued that the multiple FIRs had infringed on her right to freedom of speech and expression.