MUMBAI: On the direction of a Jodhpur court regarding a petition filed by two citizens of the city, Vikas Sharma and Akash Ojha, the police have registered a case against Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi, director Dibakar Banerjee and 6 others of the film Shanghai on 11 July.

The duo represent a religious voluntary organization, Parshuram Sewa Dal, and they had filed a complaint in the court a few days ago objecting to a song titled ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’ in the movie. Their contention is that the song is “offensive in terms of its lyrical value, which according to them was offensive for any true Indian as this song made a mockery of their sentiments towards the nation.”

On 9 July, a court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate gave the direction for filing the case under Indian Penal Code. The court, while hearing the petition, directed the police to register a case against 8 persons including Hashmi and Banarjee.

SHO Gajendra Singh said “We have registered the case under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation), 153 (A) [promoting enmity between the groups], 153 (B) [prejudicial to national integration], 294 (obscene acts and song), 298 (uttering, words to wound the religious feelings) and 505 (statements conducting public mischief) of IPC.”

– BOC Team