Didn’t use bad language against Sa Ra Govind, says Jai Jagadish

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Kannada actor and producer Jai Jagadish has denied using offensive language against fellow actor and producer Sa Ra Govind in a viral WhatsApp audio.

Jagadish, 65, said he had only objected to the way Govind had taken it upon himself to distribute free grocery kits to film producers on the birthday anniversary of matinee idol Dr Rajkumar last month. He was booked by High Grounds police under IPC section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) after Govind filed a complaint. Govind stated that Jagadish had made “disparaging” remarks about him in the audio.

In a statement to the police, Jagadish said he didn’t like the announcement made by Govind and his friends about the distribution of free grocery kits to film producers from the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), of which Govind is a former president. The kit included rice, tur dal, oil and other essentials. Producers were asked to bring their ID cards to get the grocery kits.

No producer is in such a bad financial condition that he would have to stand in a queue to receive the groceries, he stated.

“Govind and his friends had convinced a minister to distribute the kits on Dr Rajkumar’s birth anniversary, April 24. I was deeply hurt by this as Rajkumar always used to say that producers are our ‘Anna Data’ (food provider). While there are some welfare programmes for producers, this was the first time that the KFCC announced the distribution of rice and dal to them,” he said.

“I didn’t like it and so I opposed it. I agree that I had sent them a strong voice message. But I didn’t use any bad words. No producer has faced such a financial crisis. The allegations made by Govind are not true. I didn’t speak anything against the KFCC or anyone else,” Jagadish said.

The actor requested the police to close the case by verifying the evidence.