Kaali poster
Kaali poster row: SC transfers FIRs against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai to Delhi HC
New Delhi/UNI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed that the FIRs registered against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai for her alleged depiction of Hindu Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette in a poster of her upcoming film will be transferred to the Delhi High Court.
There are several FIRs registered against filmmaker Leena, across various states on the issue. She had moved the Supreme Court seeking protection and quashing of these FIRs.
A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chadrachud, passed the order on hearing Leena's plea.
"The ad interim protection granted (to Leena) with respect to any other FIR (First Information Report) stands extended. We order and direct that the FIRs which have been listed out shall stand transferred to Delhi High Court. We will transfer everything to Delhi," the bench of the top court in his order.
Filmmaker Leena had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking protection and quashing of the multiple FIRs registered against her in various states over the poster of her documentary "Kaali".
Leena in her petition said that she had received many calls giving her death threats and of her beheading, rape and murder after she tweeted the poster of her film.
She has sought immediate and appropriate action against those who attacked her in cyberspace with threats of murder and rape against her.
Seeking relief from the Supreme Court, Leena, said the FIRs have been registered against her in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
She said the poster showed her dressed as the goddess Kaali, smoking a cigarette and holding a pride flag.
Leena claimed in her petition that she had not the slightest intention to offend the religious sentiments of any person or anyone or any organisation. Being a creative filmmaker, in her idea, of artistic freedom and expression, she tried to depict the image of a "radically inclusive goddess".
"The multiple FIRs amount to harassment and infringement of her constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right to freedom of expression," Leena said in her petition.
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