Case filed against Tandav makers, actors at Ghatkopar police station in Mumbai

Police have booked Tandav director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and Aparna Purohit, head of India Original Contents at Amazon. Besides, actor Saif Ali Khan and other actors featuring in the series are also mentioned in the first information report (FIR).

Ghatkopar police on Wednesday registered an offence in connection with Amazon Prime’s Hindi web series Tandav. Police booked not just the makers and director of the political show, but also the actors featuring in it.

Mumbai Police personnel posted outside Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's residence in Bandra on Wednesday. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Police have booked Tandav director Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and Aparna Purohit, head of India Original Contents at Amazon. Besides, actor Saif Ali Khan and other actors featuring in the series are also mentioned in the first information report (FIR), registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by BJP member of the legislative Assembly Ram Kadam.

Deputy commissioner of police (Zone 7) Prashant Kadam confirmed that a case has been registered by Ghatkopar police on Wednesday under sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code.

Lucknow police have also registered an offence against the producer and director of the series and a team of Lucknow police has reached Mumbai on Wednesday morning to investigate the case. Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur said, “A police team has gone to Mumbai to probe the case. We have asked for local police assistance to record statements of four persons booked in the FIR”.

The case has been registered at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against Amazon India Original Content head Aparna Purohit, creator Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra and writer Gaurav Solanki for inciting communal disharmony and hurting religious sentiments.

Deputy commissioner of police and Mumbai Police spokesperson S Chaitanya said, “A Lucknow police team is in the city and we have provided full cooperation to them”. While two members of the team visited the Mumbai Police headquarters in south Mumbai, other two members visited office of deputy commissioner of police (Detection 1) for assistance.