Another FIR filed in Uttar Pradesh against makers, artists of 'Tandav' web series

Charges under the Information Technology Act have also been invoked in the case, according to the FIR

An FIR has been lodged against makers and artists of Amazon Prime's web series Tandav in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, police said on Tuesday.

This is at least the third FIR to be filed in Uttar Pradesh against the makers of the web series.

The complainant in the fresh case, lodged around 10 pm on Monday, alleges inappropriate depiction of UP Police personnel, Hindu deities, and adverse portrayal of a character playing the prime minister in the political drama, according to the FIR.

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In the latest FIR at Rabupura in Greater Noida, the accused have been booked, among others, under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, according to the FIR accessed by PTI.

The FIR names as accused the series' director Ali Abbas Zafar, Amazon Prime's India head Aparna Purohit, producer Himanshu Kishan Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki and actors Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Sunil Grover.

Greater Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh said, “A local resident has made a complaint at the Rabupura police station in Greater Noida over depiction of Dalit insult, casteism and content inflammatory to religious sentiments in the web series Tandav besides showing people on high-positions engaging in inappropriate talks.”

“An FIR has been lodged against the director of the web series, Amazon Prime's India head, the actors and writer. Since the SC/ST Act has also been invoked in the FIR, a gazetted officer will probe the case,” Singh added.

The FIR has been lodged under Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 505(1)-1B (making any statement, rumour or report with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public), 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief).

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The cast and crew of Tandav, faced with FIRs in Uttar Pradesh and social media clamour by a section demanding the series' ban, had on Monday issued an “unconditional apology” if their fictional show had unintentionally hurt sentiments.

On Monday, an FIR was lodged at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow against Amazon's India head of original content, Aparna Purohit, series director Ali Abbas, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra, writer Gaurav Solanki, and an unknown person on Sunday night.

Another FIR was lodged in Shahjahanpur against Abbas and actors Saif Ali Khan and Zeeshan Ayyub on a complaint by BJP MLA Vikram Veer Singh from Katra constituency at Katra police station.