CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has granted interim relief to social media content creator Shalini Passi in a case of alleged photography inside the restricted inner sanctum of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri and posting the picture on Instagram.
Under Section 30-A(4-C) of Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1953, carrying cameras, mobile phones or any other photographic device inside the temple premises is strictly prohibited.
Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra passed the interim order after a preliminary hearing on Passy’s petition on July 27. While issuing notice to the state government, Justice Mohapatra directed the trial court to defer further proceedings for eight weeks if the petitioner seeks an adjournment.
Passi has challenged the June 8, 2021 order of the SDJM, Puri, taking cognisance of the offences and issuing summons in connection with a case registered at Singhadwara police station. The quashing petition was filed before the high court on July 22.
Petitioner counsel argued that even if the allegations in the FIR were accepted in their entirety, they did not disclose the commission of the offences alleged. It was further contended that some of the penal provisions invoked by the police had no application to the acts attributed to the petitioner.
It has been alleged that Passi entered the temple carrying a mobile phone or camera, took photographs of the restricted inner sanctum and later uploaded one of the images on Instagram.
Police registered a case under Section 295A of IPC (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), Section 30 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (Penalties for destroying, removing, or injuring protected monuments) and Section 60 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Provisions relating to the Act’s scope/limitation invoked by police).
Seeking time to obtain instructions, the state’s counsel requested an adjournment. Accepting the request, the court granted the state four weeks to file its response.