HC to hear Ekta’s petition today

The Punjab and Haryana High Court will hear on Thursday a petition filed by film and television serial producer Ekta Kapoor in connection with a case registered against her by the Nakodar police in 2013.

It is listed before a Bench headed by Justice Yashvir Singh Rathor. Ekta Kapoor, her mother Shobha Kapoor four members of her team involved in production of serial Pavitra Rishta and Zee TV owner had been booked by the police under Section 295 -A of the IPC for hurting religious sentiments of the Valmiki community.

The case was lodged after Rauni Gill, president of the Bhartiya Valmiki Sarav Dharam Samaj and resident of Shankar complained to the police that August 5, 2013, an episode of the serial had made derogatory and objectionable references towards Maharishi Valmiki which hurt religious sentiments of the community.

Apart from Ekta and her mother, Meghna Amal, Sameer Kulkarni, Bhavna Thakkar and the actor who made these references had been arraigned as accused in the case. The case was registered on August 16, 2013, and the petition was filed in 2014. The court had directed the state not to take any coercive steps against the petitioners.