ARJUN KUMAR BHATI Vs. UOI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is directed against the Quiz Show "Kaun Banega Crorepati-2 (KBC)". Learned counsel for the Petitioner has contended that after filing of the present Petition the Respondent No. 3 i.e., Star India Private Limited had stopped the show midway but then restarted the same as "KBC-3" and had prayed for stay of its telecast. Initially the Writ Petition was filed for claiming refund of the amount incurred by the Petitioner in his attempts to participate in the quiz, but later on he dropped this claim and pressed the Petition on other grounds in public interest.

(2.) The sum and substance of the allegations is that Respondent No. 3 and 4 have duped the participants of crores of rupees and are indulging in foul play and are selecting desirable persons to finally contest the show and win the cash or kind prizes. It is pleaded that this malpractice had been highlighted in the news channel of India TV on 26.6.2006 which showed that as per the proclaimed rules issued by Respondent No. 3 & 4, their employees and associates were not allowed to participate but violating their own rules, they repeatedly allowed their employees and associates to participate and at the same time had been prompting common citizens to make more and more telephone calls and answer more and more questions even more than the prescribed 1500 and ultimately the innocent people lose thousands, if not lacs of rupees with hardly any chance of making it to the so-called round of "Fastest Fingers First" or the so-called "Hot Seat" for final session.

(3.) Doubts and aspersions have been cast even on the automated computerized questions for the participants. It is submitted that the mere fact that the employees and associates of Respondent No. 3 & 4 are not allowed to participate, shows that the programme is open to abuse and manipulation for ulterior motives and there is no check or control if the staff members and associates become participants or join hands with others to participate in the quiz show and thus crores of public money is being siphoned off clandestinely.