Punjab and Haryana HC quashes FIR against channel, makers of TV serial

The criminal case was also registered on the complaint against makers and Colors TV on August 23, 2019.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has quashed a criminal case registered against Colors TV and the makers of a TV serial, ‘Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush’ registered by Jalandhar police in 2019. The criminal case was registered on the complaint of one Rajeev Gora, who had alleged that portrayal of Valimiki in the serial offended the Scheduled Caste community.

The high court bench of justice Deepak Gupta quashed the FIR as it emerged that in October 2019, the state government had set up a committee to look into the entire issue and the committee, post deliberations, had suggested certain corrective steps, which were accepted by the channel and serial makers.

The portrayal of Valimiki in the serial had resulted in widespread protests across the state, and in some districts, telecast of the serial had to be suspended. The criminal case was also registered on the complaint against makers and Colors TV on August 23, 2019.

The government had acted after ‘strong objections to the contents’ by leaders of the Valmiki community. The high court bench of justice Deepak Gupta quashed the FIR as it emerged that in October 2019, the state government had set up a committee to look into the entire issue and the committee, post deliberations, had suggested certain corrective steps, which were accepted by the channel and serial makers.