JOJI VARGHESE Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner states that he 'is a citizen of India and believing the faith of Christianity' (sic). He projects a grievance that a cinematographic movie in Malayalam, by name 'Antony', contains a scene where a Bible is used to conceal a firearm; and asserts that this amounts to denigration of the faith itself. He thus prays that respondents 2 and 3 be injuncted from releasing the movie, without removing the objected portion; with an adscititious plea to the 2nd respondent - Regional Officer of the Central Board of Film Certification ('Board' for brevity), to take necessary action based on Ext.P3 representation preferred by him.

(2.) Sri.Gigimon Issac - learned counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the depiction of Bible as a tool of concealment of a firearm causes the faith of Christianity itself to be called in question; and therefore, that such a scene ought not to have been allowed by the 'Board'. He thus reiteratingly prayed that the reliefs sought for in this Writ Petition be granted.

(3.) Pertinently, when this matter was called today, the learned Central Government Counsel - Sri.Girish Kumar, submitted that, pending this lis, on the application of the Producer of the movie - namely the 3rd respondent, the scene in question has been ordered to be blurred; and that the said direction has already been implemented. He submitted that, as matters now stand, no one can identify the book which is used to conceal the firearm, to be a Bible; and hence prayed that this Writ Petition be dismissed.