New Delhi, Apr 10 (Agency) 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.- be transferred to 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) Dr 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, led by Dr Chandrachud said, 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 titled “Kaali”. Leena in her petition said that she has received many calls giving her death threats and of her beheading, rape and murder after she tweeted the poster of her film. Leena, in her petition, filed before the Supreme Court, therefore, has sought immediate and appropriate action against those who attacked her in cyber space with threats of murder, 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 that the poster showed her dressed as the goddess Kaali, smoking a cigarette and holding a pride flag. Leena has sought an immediate stay of the proceedings in the cases and the quashing of the FIRs. 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.