Bombay High Court grants Mahesh Manjrekar relief from arrest in obscenity case

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted director Mahesh Manjrekar and the producers of the Marathi film 'Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha' protection from arrest for an obscene shot involving minors. In the hearing held today, the court also directed the police not to take any coercive action against the director or the film's team, who had an FIR registered against them, under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Advocate Shirish Gupte, representing Mahesh Manjrekar and the two producers argued, "The aim of POCSO is to save the children, their body and mind. 

In the film nothing has really happened to the boys. It is just a creation of art. The scenes shown in the trailer was never part of film and the trailer was removed from YouTube. "Mahesh Manjrekar, along with others, were seeking quashing of the FIR registered against them. The bench, however, said, "Let the police investigate." Gupte further argued, "There is no problem with investigation. Let them investigate, but there should not be any coercive action for making a piece of art." Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha has been in trouble ever since its trailer release. The same has now been removed from YouTube. The Bombay HC hearing for the movie and its makers took place on February 28. The film had released on January 14. This ruling comes a week after the court refused to grant the filmmaker of the makers of the Marathi film, any relief in the case. Last month, Manjrekar filed a petition in the High Court seeking for the case to be quashed and sought interim protection from arrest. A division bench headed by Justice SS Shinde, however, refused to pass any order and adjourned the hearing.