File photo of Self-styled godman 'Asaram' after being produced at a court in Gandhinagar in connection with a sexual assault case.
PTI
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed for protection to staff and offices of Discovery Communications India on a plea alleging threats issued by followers of self-styled godman Asaram due to the release of a documentary series 'Cult of Fear: Asaram Bapu'.
The documentary was released on Discovery+ on January 25.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed different state governments to ensure protection to petitioners Shashank Walia and others and their offices.
The court issued notice to the Centre and States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal and Delhi on a writ petition by Walia and others.
Senior advocate Abhinav Mukherji appeared for the petitioners, submitted even after the complaint, no action has been taken by the authorities due to threats from hooligans.
The petitioners claimed they have a reasonable apprehension that the self-proclaimed supporters of Asaram Bapu have resorted to and further may continue to resort to violence, vandalism or other criminal acts against Discovery, its subsidiaries, parent entities and its employees, management, directors including the petitioners, violating their fundamental rights under Article 14, Articles 19(1)(a) and (g) and 21 of the Constitution.
They claimed the documentary released by Discovery is in the public interest, as it sheds light on the activities of a convicted individual and aims to give viewers a balanced perspective of blind faith and cults.
"The threats and protest faced by the petitioners and their colleagues are an attempt on the part of an anti-social element not only to suppress creative rights, freedom of speech and expression, which is not only detrimental to democratic values but also illegal and a criminal act in terms of the penal provisions as enshrined under BNS read with BNSS, 2023," their plea stated.
Their plea claimed Discovery's social media promotional campaigns on its own social media handles have been met with hateful, negative and threatening comments including but not limited to sexual, religious and political remarks, the documentary series has also garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback.
On January 30, 2025, it claimed, an incident occurred outside one of the offices of Discovery located in Mumbai, wherein approximately 10 to 15 individuals gathered outside its office premises and attempted to gain unauthorized entry. These alleged supporters, fans, followers and devotees of Asaram Bapu and his son surrounded the premises of Discovery leading to a grave threat to the safety and security of petitioners.
Their plea also alleged those people threatened the petitioners and other similarly situated persons by stating that if the broadcast of the documentary on Asaram Bapu is not stopped within 48 hours, all Hindu organisations will launch a large-scale movement against Discovery, its employees including the petitioner herein and other similarly situated persons.
The petitioners stated they filed complaints with the police authorities in the respective cities and states. However, no concrete action has been taken by the police authorities so far, and the threats continue to escalate and it is continuing till date both on social media and as well as in person, it alleged.