'Padmaavat': Senior lawyer Harish Salve receives death threat; FIR registered

New Delhi, January 20

The Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR against unknown person for making threatening phone calls to senior advocate Harish Salve.

Salve, who represented producers of the controversial movie ‘Padmaavat’ in a recent case in the Supreme Court, has claimed he received death threats from callers who identified themselves as members of Karni Sena—a fringe group that had been leading protests against the movie.

The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended notifications by four states—Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat—that banned the movie in their states. 

In its interim order, the court said all states are constitutionally obliged to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident during screening of the film.

The movie will finally see theatrical release on January 25.

Rajputs have objected to the movie for “distorting history”. Their objections particularly centre on Rajput queen Padmvati, whose name had given the movie its original name ‘Padmavati’, although historians remain divided about the existence of the Rajput queen.  

After over a month of putting off its release, filmmakers finally got clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), although with some changes, which include the movie’s name. ANI/ agencies