In a case involving obscene scenes involving minors in a Marathi film, the Bombay High Court on Friday (February 25) refused to grant filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar any protection from arrest or coercion.
Mumbai police had earlier this week filed a FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against Manjrekar and other producers of the Marathi film ‘Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha’.
Manjrekar filed a petition in the High Court on Friday (February 25), requesting that the case be quashed and that he be granted interim protection from arrest. However, a division bench led by Justice S S Shinde refused to issue any orders and adjourned the hearing on the petition until February 28.
According to reports, the recently released film contains sexually explicit content involving minors.
Shirish Gupte, the filmmaker's lawyer, argued that the POCSO Act was designed to save and protect children's bodies and minds. He said, “In the film nothing has really happened to the boys. It is just a creation of art. The scenes shown in the trailer were never part of the film. And the trailer was removed from YouTube.” He also told the court that interrogation in a detention centre was not necessary in this case.
Madhvi Mhatre and Sangeeta Shinde, both assistant public prosecutors, spoke against the petition, saying, “An FIR has been lodged at Mahim police station. There are serious allegations against the accused under the POCSO Act.”
After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the bench in the Bombay High Court pronounced its decision saying, “We cannot give a blanket protection.”
With Inputs from PTI
