Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon, filmmaker Farah Khan and comedian Bharti Singh have been booked by the police in Ferozepur district of Punjab for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of a community during a comedy show, officials told PTI on Sunday. This is the third complaint against them within a week.
On Saturday evening, police booked the three women on charges under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). Chairman of Samson Brigade Christian Youths Vijay Goria, and resident of Kamboj Nagar in Ferozepur, registered the complaint against the celebrities.
Goria said that the three had hurt religious sentiments of the Christian community when they mocked a word associated with the religion during the show, The Indian Express reported. The three celebrities had allegedly made fun of the word “hallelujah” in the show Backbenchers.
“We have started the probe,” Station House Officer Ferozepur Cantonment police station Inspector Parveen Kumar said. “We will be probing and then getting the summons issued from the court to question the trio.”
On Saturday, a case was registered against Tandon, Khan, and Singh in Maharashtra’s Beed city. The complaint was registered by Ashish Shinde, the head of a local non-governmental organisation. The case was being transferred to Malad police station in Mumbai where the celebrities live, an unidentified official told PTI.
Another complaint, filed by Sonu Jafar, the president of the Christian Front of Ajnala Block, was filed in Amritsar. The three were booked on Wednesday.
After the complaint, Tandon and Khan clarified that it was not their intention to insult anyone. The actor shared the original clip of the show on Twitter. “Please do watch this link,” she urged viewers on Thursday. “I haven’t said a word that can be interpreted as an insult to any religion. The three of us [Farah Khan, Bharti Singh and I] never intended to offend anyone, but in case we did, my most sincere apologies to those who were hurt.” The video has been taken down from YouTube.
“I respect all religions, and it would never be my intention to disrespect any,” tweeted Khan on Friday. “On behalf of the entire team, Raveena Tandon, Bharti Singh and myself...we do sincerely apologise.”
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