No coercive steps against Raveena Tandon, Farah Khan: HC

CHANDIGARH The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday restrained Punjab Police from taking any coercive steps against Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon and director Farah Khan, booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The high court bench of justice Ashok Kumar Verma has sought a response from Punjab government by March 25, asking police to not take any coercive steps till then.

CHANDIGARH The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday restrained Punjab Police from taking any coercive steps against Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon and director Farah Khan, booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

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The high court bench of justice Ashok Kumar Verma has sought a response from Punjab government by March 25, asking police to not take any coercive steps till then.

The two had moved the court, seeking quashing of the FIR registered against them in Ajnala on December 25 under section 295-A of Indian Penal Code (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings).

The court was told that Raveena and Farah were guests/participants and producer/anchor of a show telecast on a digital platform. It was contended that the allegations are vague and general in nature with the ‘ulterior motive’ to fasten the criminal liability on the two. Their statements cannot be perceived to be disrespectful or hurtful to the sentiments or do not remotely qualify to constitute the offence under section 295-A IPC, senior advocate RS Rai, appearing for them had told court.

As per the petition, during the programme, Raveena and comedian Bharti Singh were asked to spell out a word and share its meaning. While Raveena spelt it correctly, Bharti misspelt it. It apparently meant that Bharti did not know the word and was referring to another word in Hindi, the petition states, adding that the FIR has been registered on ‘concocted on non-existent facts’.