New Delhi: Renowned producer Ekta Kapoor on Friday faced the Supreme Court’s wrath over “objectionable content” in her web series ‘XXX’.
The apex court, hearing a petition filed by Ekta challenging arrest warrants issued against her and her mother Shobha for allegedly insulting soldiers and hurting sentiments of their families in the web series, said she was polluting the minds of India’s young generation.
A trial court in Bihar’s Begusarai issued the warrant on a complaint lodged in 2020 by an ex-serviceman, alleging that ‘XXX’ (Season 2) featured several objectionable scenes related to a soldier’s wife.
“Something has to be done. You are polluting the minds of the young generation of this country. OTT content is available to all. What kind of choice are you providing to the people? On the contrary you are polluting the minds of youngsters,” observed a bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ekta, submitted that a petition has been filed before Patna High Court but there is no hope the matter will be listed for hearing soon, adding that Supreme Court had earlier granted protection to the producer in a similar matter.
Rohatgi argued that the content in OTT is subscription-based and there is freedom of choice in this country.
But the two-justice bench wondered what kind of choice is being offered.
“Everytime you travel to this court… we don’t appreciate this. We will put a cost on you for filing such a petition. Mr Rohatgi please convey this to your client. Just because you can afford and hire the services of good lawyers… this court is not for those who have voices. This court works for those who don’t have voices…if these people who have all kinds of facilities, if they cannot get justice then think of the situation of this common man. We have seen the order and we have our reservations,” the bench observed.
The matter was kept pending as the bench suggested a local lawyer may be hired to check the status of hearing in the high court.
