Kerala HC temporarily stays obscenity case against actor Shweta Menon
What's the story
The Kerala High Court has granted interim relief to actor Shweta Menon, who is facing allegations of appearing in obscene films and advertisements for monetary gain. The court has stayed further proceedings in the case, which was filed by a private complaint from Kochi's Martin Menachery and referred to the police by the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court, Ernakulam. The hearing on Menon's petition seeking to quash the case will be taken up on October 28.
Procedural issues
HC points out procedural lapses in complaint handling
Justice VG Arun of the Kerala High Court has pointed out procedural lapses in how the complaint was handled before it reached the police. The CJM had directed the police to file an FIR without first obtaining a report from them, which is a required step. Now, the magistrate must demonstrate that they followed proper procedures before proceeding with this case against Menon.
Allegations
AMMA election conspiracy?
Menon, who was a strong contender for the presidency of AMMA, the association of Malayalam film artists, has alleged that the complaint was a deliberate attempt to block her from contesting for this post. Actor Maala Parvathi hinted at a conspiracy behind the complaint. Actor Devan termed it "nonsense and filed with an ulterior motive," adding that no member of their actors' body would support such baseless allegations.
Defense
Films certified by the censor board: Menon
In her petition, Menon defended herself by stating that the films in which she appeared have been censored and certified. She also pointed out that these films have been available in the public domain for several years now. The actor is a two-time winner of the Best Actress award at the Kerala State Film Awards and has acted mostly in Malayalam films. Earlier this year, she became the first female president of AMMA.