Unfunny business: Bombay HC refuses interim relief to Ranveer, Arjun

By Nishat Shamsi

on March 13, 2018

Not-so-good news for Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor… The Bombay High Court has refused to grant interim relief to the actors on an FIR filed against them and certain other film personalities in 2015. They were accused of allegedly using obscene and abusive language during the comedy event 'AIB Knockout'.

The actors’ legal counsel had urged the court to direct, by way of an interim relief, the Pune and Mumbai police to refrain from taking any coercive action against them. The bench, however, said it will consider the plea only after the complainant was provided a copy of the petition. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on April 3.

A bench of justices R M Savant and Sarang Kotwal has directed the actors' lawyer to first serve a copy of their plea to one of the complainants in the case, activist Santosh Dundkar.
For those wondering what the matter is all about, on December 20, 2014, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, along with 10 other celebrities, including Karan Johar, Deepika Padukone, and members of the AIB team, had performed at a charity event in Worli area. A video of the event was uploaded on YouTube a year later and it went viral.

However, not all were amused. In February 2015, activist Santosh Dundkar filed a complaint with the chief metropolitan magistrate of Girgaon court, alleging that the show was "vulgar, obscene...pornographic."

An FIR was then ordered by the court to be registered against all the 10 people. The FIR, alleging obscenity during the event, was registered in Pune, following the complaint by a local.

Earlier this year, both Arjun and Ranveer had approached the High Court after they had received summons from the Pune police. They had been directed to visit the police station for questioning and to record their statements.

Both actors had claimed in their plea that the FIRs against them bore an ulterior motive. They also alleged that the FIRs were filed with a "mischievous" and mala fide intent. They requested that the same be quashed.

Another bench of the Bombay High Court later granted an interim relief to those involved in the show, and directed the Mumbai and Pune police to refrain from taking any coercive action against them until further orders.

Desk - Nichola