HYDERABAD: While granting relief to actors Roja, Nagendra Babu and others who participated in a TV comedy show titled ‘Jabardasth Khatarnak Comedy Show’, the High Court has found fault with the said comedy show being telecast by a vernacular TV channel saying that exhibiting judges and lawyers in such shows would dent the prestige of courts in the public eye and sometimes it may create an impression in the minds of litigant public that they will not get justice on account of such proceedings exhibited in the said show.
Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy was allowing a petition filed by actor K.Nagendra Babu, MLA and actress RK Roja and two others seeking quashing of criminal proceedings pending at the additional first class magistrate at Huzurabad in Karimnagar district on a complaint lodged by advocate Y Arun Kumar.
The judge, in his order, observed that describing lawyers in such a manner as exhibited in the said comedy show reduces the dignity and decorum of the courts and its officers, and the same would not only amount to defamation against lawyers as a group but also reduce the esteem of the courts and judges.
Arun Kumar, in his complaint, said that in the skit carried in the episode telecast in July 2014 the actors performed a programme insulting and defaming the legal profession and the decorum of court proceedings. The show was not only insulting the legal profession but it also lowered the image and dignity of courts in the eye of the public, he noted.
He complained to the lower court that on viewing the said episode he felt insulted and suffered mental agony. Based on the complaint, the lower court ordered proceedings against the petitioners under Section 500 of IPC (punishment for defamation) and under Section 5B (1) and (2) (power to grant certificate) of Cinematograph Act, 1952.
While quashing the criminal proceedings against the petitioners, the judge said that the complainant had no locus standi and there was no defamation of profession.
“There is no law prohibiting such programmes though various television channels telecast such shows without check. Unless certain guidelines are framed for telecasting such programmes, channel operators would continue to cause further damage to the reputation of judicial institutions by telecasting such programmes”, the judge said.