Criminal Conspiracy Case Against Leena Manimekalai Over Her Film Poster Kaali: All About The Case

FIRs have been filed against Leena Manimekalai, by Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police, after the poster release of her upcoming movie Kaali. The well-known documentary filmmaker has been accused of deliberately hurting religious sentiments by the disrespectful portrayal of the Hindu deity Kaali.

Ever since the filmmaker took to social media to share the poster of the movie Kaali, she received severe backlash from the netizens. #ArrestLeenaManimekalai was trending all over Twitter for her poster. The poster depicts Kaali, a Hindu deity smoking with one hand and holding a pride flag in another. This angered the netizens and the filmmaker received flak for the poster.

The case has now escalated with the UP Police registering a case against the filmmaker, on criminal conspiracy, offense in the place of worship, deliberately hurting religious sentiments, and intention to provoke breach of peace, and the Delhi Police IFSO unit filing the FIR under IPC sections 153A and 295A. See the controversial poster here. 

FIR Against Leena Manimekalai

The filmmaker Leena Manimekalai said that she will continue to be fearlessly vocal about issues throughout her life and that she will pay with her life if it comes down to it. "I have nothing to lose. Till the time I live, I wish to live with a voice that speaks what I believe without fear. If the price for that is my life, it can be given," Manimekalai posted on Twitter. "These people have nothing to do with faith. Their fuel is hate" she adds while talking about all the hate comments she received on the poster.

Ajay Gautam, a 'Gau Mahasabha' group member has also announced that he has filed a complaint with Delhi Police, and has shared the copy of his complaint with the media. Amidst the controversy, the filmmaker has asked people to trend #LoveYouLeenaManimekalai instead and urged the netizens to understand the context of the movie and give it a chance before spreading all the hate. She said, "The film is about the events during Kaali's strolls through the streets of Toronto city one fine evening. If they watch the movie, they will put the hashtag 'love you Leena Manimekalai' rather than 'Arrest Leena Manimekalai'."

Reports suggest that in addition to the police complaints, a Delhi-based lawyer has also filed a complaint against Leena Manimekalai. The complaint read,"The Director has hurt my religious sentiments by showing Goddess Kali smoking which is highly objectionable and not acceptable in any manner. This deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of the Hindu Community through highly objectionable video and photo from her Twitter account by the accused which is well circulated on social media and all public platforms is an offence under sections 295A, 298, 505, 67 I.T Act and 34 IPC and therefore penal action should be taken against the accused"

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