Allahabad HC rejects protection to Amazon top executive from arrest in 'Tanadav' row

Purohit has been accused of promoting religious enmity and defiling a place of worship.

She has protection from arrest in a second, separate case filed by the police in Lucknow. Another judge in the Allahabad High Court has extended that protection till March 9 three days ago.

Rejecting Purohit's anticipatory bail in the Noida case, Justice Siddharth said, "The conduct of the applicant shows that she has scant respect for the law of the land and her conduct further disentitles her to any relief from this court."

Justice Siddharth said, "The fact remains that the applicant had not been vigilant and has acted irresponsibly making her open to criminal prosecution in permitting streaming of a movie which is against the fundamental rights of the majority of citizens of this country and therefore, her fundamental right of life and liberty cannot be protected by grant of anticipatory bail to her in the exercise of discretionary powers of this court."

The court also observed that there is a "growing tendency" in the Hindi film industry to subvert the image of historical and mythological personalities.

"If not curbed in time, it may have disastrous consequences for the Indian social, religious and communal order. There appears to be a design behind such acts on the part of people who just give a disclaimer in all the films and depict things in movies which are really religiously, socially and communally offensive in nature."

Earlier, the Supreme Court last month refused to provide protection against arrest to the team of 'Tandav' after at least three FIRs were filed in Uttar Pradesh over the content which allegedly insults the Hindu gods and goddesses.