HC notice to Big B, Salman, BCCI on petition against IPL show

Madras high court bench here on Wednesday ordered notice to Indian cricket board chief N Srinivasan, Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor on a petition regarding alleged ‘uncensored and indecent’ dance programmes during the IPL-V inaugural show in Chennai in April. 

Justice A Selvam also ordered notice to Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, Indian Premier League chairman Rajeev Shukla, American pop star Katy Perry, Australian cricketer and Chennai Super Kings member Douglas Bolinger and a Sony Set Max TV official. 

Petitioner K Jebakumar, an advocate, alleged that the entire IPL inaugural show, held at the YMCA grounds in Chennai on 3 April and attended by women and children also, was ‘obscene and lascivious, appealing to prurient interest.’ 

He sought a direction to the state director general of police to register a case on the basis of his complaint and take further action in accordance with law. 

He claimed the inaugural programme was telecast live uncensored by Sony Set Max TV for BCCI and IPL. Photographs and video clippings of the show were published/telecast by newspapers and TV channels causing distraction to students who were taking examinations at that time, he contended. 

The petitioner submitted the celebrities and dignitaries had committed offences under various IPC sections and also acts such as Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Young Persons Harmful Publications Act, Foreigners Act. 

When the petition came up for hearing, petitioner's counsel Peter Ramesh Kumar said despite a complaint lodged by his client with IGPs of Central and South Zone, no action had been taken on it. 

‘Why this inaction? [on the complaint filed by the petitioner]?’ the Judge asked and posted the case to 31 July.