High Court stays FIR against Sarkar director Murugadoss

Justice Anand Venkatesh before whom the quash petition from Murugadoss came up for hearing, held that the petitioner made out a prima facie case to stay the proceedings.

While Public Prosecutor A Natarajan submitted there are objectionable scenes in the movie such as setting fire to the freebies distributed by the Government and that they have been taken intentionally, the judge raised a volley of questions on free speech and the legal bar available as per the Cinematograph Act.

Also, seeking to know as to how the Government intended to act against an artiste when the film has been cleared by the Censor Board, he said a film ought to be watched as a film. He also sought to know as to when the public and fans have been watching the said movie, how a FIR can be registered based on a petition moved by an individual?

Justice Anand Venkatesh posted the mater for further hearing to after six weeks. The de-facto complainant Devarajan had stated that both Vijay and the Director burning freebies in the movie had instigated violence and prompted others to burn such freebies.