SC refuses to grand interim protection to ‘Tandav’ makers

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday refused to grant interim protection from arrest to the makers of web series ‘Tandav’ in connection with several FIRs filed against them on charges of hurting religious sentiments.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah was hearing as many as three separate petitions of filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, Amazon Prime India head Aparna Purohit, producer Himanshu Mehra, the show’s writer Gaurav Solanki and actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.

The apex court also asked the makers of the web series to approach the high court for anticipatory bail or quashing of FIRs.

“We cannot use the power under Section 482 CrPC. We are not inclined to grant interim protection,” the Bench said.

The court also issued notices to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka governments seeking their response on pleas for quashing FIRs against the makers.

Multiple FIRs were filed against the makers of Tandav in different cities of the country for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. As the controversy picked pace, the makers of Tandav said they will drop certain scenes from the web series.

A nine-episode political thriller that started streaming earlier this month in Amazon Prime Video, Tandav stars Bollywood A-listers Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub.