On December 18, petitioners moved the Karnataka High Court with claims that authorities were falsely citing security reasons to avoid giving them permission to hold the much-awaited event featuring Sunny Leone.

In response, Karnataka High Court has asked the Bengaluru city police why they were discriminating against Sunny Leone.

Justice B Veerappa asked the police to file an affidavit regarding the number of clubs granted permission to hold New Year events.

The HC has also directed them to take a call on whether Leone can perform at a private New Year's Eve bash in the city.

"There was an oral rejection by the police department that we are not going to give the permission, and this they did almost 18 days after the application was submitted," said Shyam Sundar, advocate for the petitioners.

"Jurisdictional DCP Girish, who was present in the court, made a statement that in the entire city of Bengaluru, the police has never permitted any public show, and this is something that is impossible to accept," said Sundar.

The Times Creations proprietor Bhavya HS told India Today that the event was being organized at a whopping cost of Rs. 2.5 crore. Further, the application to secure permission was submitted way back on December 1 to the Jurisdictional police, who assured a favorable response in 4-5 days time.

The matter came to a boil when Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Yuva Sene activists protested against Leone's event, terming it "anti-culture". They also promised to commit mass suicide if she was allowed to come to Bengaluru.

Times Creation Managing Director Harish, who issued the petition, pointed out that some 50 other events have been granted permission. Only the letter seeking permission for their event where Leone was to perform had not been considered by the police.

The police will have to get back with this information before the next hearing on December 25.