BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday passed an interim order staying all first information reports (FIRs) registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against actor Upendra for allegedly making a casteist remark on a Facebook live chat and also FIRs to be registered in future on the same issue.
Justice Hemant Chandangoudar passed the interim order after hearing the petition filed by Upendra who questioned the FIR registered against him by Halasuru Gate police on a complaint by Bharat Harishkumar, president of Karnataka Ranadheera Pade.
Upendra contended that the Supreme Court, in several judgments, held that a second FIR on the same issue is not permissible. In this case, the incident is the same, yet a second FIR has been registered. He stated that the proverb that he used on the chat had nothing to do with insult to Dalits or any intent to insult people belonging to SC and ST communities. The proverb is generally used to state that criticism is bound to be there and one need not be unduly perturbed.
One of the FIRs registered by the CK Acchukattu police in the city was stayed by the high court on Monday, following the petition filed by Upendra. It was stated in the petition that Upendra has been talking to people through FB Live about the ills that ails society and the transformation that is required in society to eradicate corruption, discrimination and other evils.
On August 12, 2023, in his talk, he said criticisms are a part of life and used a proverb in Kannada ‘Oorendre Holageri Iruthe’. After his talk, certain people started criticising him for using the proverb. He deleted the episode and apologised to people.