Bombay HC grants three weeks transit anticipatory bail to 'Tandav' director, 3 others

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 20 : The Bombay High Court has granted three weeks transit anticipatory bail to web series 'Tandav' director Ali Abbas Zafar and 3 others in an FIR registered in Uttar Pradesh to enable him to approach the appropriate court for regular pre-arrest bail, said Aniket Ujjwal Nikam, lawyer of the accused on Wednesday.
The lawyer said in a video statement on behalf of the accused that the web series has "not hurt the religious sentiments nor there was any intention to do so."
"The Bombay High Court has granted 3 weeks transit anticipatory bail to the director, writer, producer and the content head of Tandav web series. We had argued before the Court that we have not hurt the religious sentiments nor there was any intention to do so," Nikam said.
"We also sought relief of the transit bail primarily on the ground that we have to approach the local court for the purpose of appropriate relief and since the atmosphere over there seems to be surcharged and we apprehend the genuine threat of arrest and therefore in such a situation we requested that we may be granted transit bail. The honorable court considered our request and has granted 3 weeks transit anticipatory bail in order to move to the appropriate court at Uttar Pradesh for the appropriate relief," he added.
An FIR has been registered at Lucknow's Hazratganj Kotwali against Amazon Prime's India head of original content Aparna Purohit, director of web series 'Tandav' Ali Abbas Zafar, its producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki and others for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police PRO, DCP S Chaitanya said that an FIR has been registered against the makers and actors of web series 'Tandav' for hurting religious sentiments.
"The FIR have been registered under sections 153 (A), 295 (A) and 505 (2) IPC at Mumbai's Ghatkopar Police station," he said.
In the wake of the controversy over the release of web series 'Tandav', Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said that the central government should bring in legislation in regard to over-the-top (OTT) platforms.
"We have received a complaint regarding web series 'Tandav'. Action will be taken as per the law. Central government should bring legislation in regard to over-the-top (OTT) platforms," Deshmukh told reporters here.
'Tandav' creator Ali Abbas Zafar on Tuesday revealed that the cast and crew of the show have decided to implement changes in the Amazon Prime Video-based series in order to address the backlash against its content that has hurt religious sentiments of many viewers.
Zafar shared an official statement from the cast and crew of 'Tandav' on Twitter and reiterated that the team had no intentions to hurt or offend the sentiments of any caste, race, community or religion.