SC relief to filmmaker Manimekalai in 'Kaali' poster row; matter posted for hearing on Feb 17

The Supreme Court on Friday protected filmmaker Leena Manimekalai from any coercive action in multiple FIRs, including the future ones against her for depicting Hindu Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in a poster of her documentary film.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha issued notice to the Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh police on a writ petition filed by her.

Advocate Kamini Jaiswal on behalf of the filmmaker submitted that as a result of multiple FIRs, she was likely to be subjected to coercive proceedings. She also submitted the filmmaker does not intend to hurt religious sentiments. The lawyer also said the petitioner is a Graduate student in a Canada University.

The court protected her from any coercive steps in all FIRs, including those that may be lodged against her with regard to the poster.

"No coercive action against the petitioner shall be taken either in the FIRs or any case to be lodged till February third week, when we will take up the matter further," the bench said.

The court indicated that it may club all cases into one place in order to allow her to pursue legal actions, including filing of quashing proceedings under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Her plea also sought a direction to quash all the FIRs registered against the filmmaker in various states over the poster of her documentary titled Kaali.

Multiple FIRs were registered against her in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on complaints against the poster of the documentary. The plea has also sought for a stay on the proceedings in the meantime and also sought action against those who issued threats to her on social media.

The plea contended that the petitioner did not attempt to offend the religious sentiments of any person. The filmmaker claimed that she had also received open calls for violence against her and her family after she tweeted a poster of the documentary.