New Delhi: Refusing to hold a nude picture of Bollywood actor John Abraham, published in a news daily as “obscene,” a Delhi court has dismissed a plea to summon him and the newspaper's editor to answer charges of spreading vulgarity in society.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rajneesh Kumar Gupta dismissed the plea saying that the actor's alleged photographs were not likely to “corrupt the mind” of the readers and its purpose was merely to give the latest news about Bollywood.
“After going through the photograph of John Abraham and contents of the news item, I am of the opinion that the alleged picture of John Abraham is not obscene which is likely to deprave and corrupt the mind of its readers and its purpose is only to give information to the news readers as to what is the latest happenings in the Bollywood,” Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Rajneesh Kumar Gupta said.
The court dismissed the revision petition of Kirti Nagar resident Chander Mohan Dua, who had sought summoning of John Abraham and the editor and publisher of the daily which had published the picture in June 2009.
“I do not find sufficient material on record to summon the accused persons. Accordingly, there is no infirmity or illegality in the order passed by the trial court and it is upheld.
The revision petition is dismissed,” ASJ Gupta said. Dua had sought prosecution of John Abraham and the daily's editor and publisher for allegedly violating sections 292 and 294 of the Indian Penal Code (relating to sale, circulation or publication of obscene pictures and indulging in obscene acts), besides various other statutory provisions.
Dua had filed the complaint saying that on June 11, 2009, a “vulgar photograph” of Abraham was published in the daily which was viewed by his children and lakhs of people including the young and adolescent ones who may easily be depraved and corrupted by such acts of obscenity and vulgarity.
He said he had filed a complaint in this regard in the Moti Nagar police station here but no action was taken on his complaint.
Dua had then approached the court but the magistrate had refused to summon Abraham as an accused and had dismissed his plea.
