The Supreme Court on Monday extended the relief granted to filmmaker Leena Manimekalai of no coercive action in connection with multiple FIRs registered against her in various states over a controversial poster of her upcoming documentary film showing goddess Kali smoking a cigarette. The top court clubbed all the FIRs lodged against her in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and transferred them to the Delhi police for investigation. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala refused to quash the multiple FIRs but granted liberty to her counsel Indira Unninayar to approach a Delhi court for the quashing. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the filmmaker has not appeared before any of the courts concerned and this court may direct her to appear before the court in connection with the FIRs. ”This is all about one film and moreover she is a US citizen and she can appear virtually before the court, if required”, the CJI said. On January 20, the top court had granted interim relief to Manimekalai in connection with FIRs registered against her in various states over a controversial poster of her documentary film showing goddess Kali smoking a cigarette. It had issued notices to the Centre, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments on her plea.
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