The Bihar police on October 2 registered an FIR against a group of artists and intellectuals who had written an open letter to the Prime Minister last July complaining about rise in incidents of mob lynching in the country.

The FIR registered at Police Station, Muzaffarpur, names award winning filmmakers Aparna Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shyam Benegal, vocalist Shubha Mudgal, actors Soumitra Chatterjee, Konkona Sena, Revathy, director Mani Rathnam and historian Ramchandra Guha as accused persons.

"The open letter written by the accused persons to PM Modi, raising false concerns over growing incidents of mob lynching, is meant to tarnish the country's image at an international level and has undermined the friendly relations that the PM has tried to strengthen over the years;

Accused persons have tried to defame the country and its democratic structure;

Accused persons have committed treason by attempting to divide the country, by misleading the countrymen and spreading hatred and thus appear to be partisans of separatism", alleged the FIR registered for offences punishable under Sections 124A (sedition), 153B(acts against national integration), 160(affray, 290 (public nuisance), 297(trespass into burial places) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace).

The FIR is based on a complaint filed by one Advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha, which was forwarded by the Chief Judicial Magistrate under Section 156(3) of Code of Criminal Procedure for action.

The letter endorsed by 49 personalities was sent to PM last July following the lynching of Tabrez Ansari in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Ansari was reportedly asked by the mob to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' during the attack.

Expressing concern at the rise in hate-crimes in the country, the activists noted that 'Jai Shri Ram' has become a provocative war cry with many lynching incidents taking place with this invocation.

The FIR has cited actor Kangana Ranaut, filmmakers Madhur Bhandarkar, Vivek Agnihotri etc, who had issued a "counter-letter", as witnesses. They had derided the activists' letter as peddling "selective outrage and false narratives".

English translation of the Complaint

BEFORE THE COURT OF LD. CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE

MUZAFFARPUR

Case No. 2102 of 2019

Sudhir Kumar Ojha

Age around 50 years

S/o Late Krishna Dev Ojha

` Village- Prahladpur Patahi, P.S. – Sadar,

Dist.- Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Mobile No. 9934044385 …Complainant

Versus

1. Aparna Sen, Actress, Age about 50 years

2. Adoor Gopal Krishnan, Film Director, Age about 60 years

3. Subha Duggal, Singer, Age about 56 years

4. Soumitra Chatterjee, Actor, Age about 56 years

5. Revathy, Actress, Age about 35 years

6. Konkona Sen, Actress, Age about 51 years

7. Shyam Benegal, Film Director, Age about 65 years

8. Maniratnam, Film Director, Age about 65 years

9. Ramchandra Guha, Historian, Aged about 70 years

10. Other 45 persons, all from Mumbai Film Industry.

…Accused

Place of occurrence of offence: House of the complainant, Prahladpur

Patahi, P.S. – Sadar, Dist.- Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

Date of occurrence of offence: From 23.07.2019 till date.

Crime under Sections: 124 A/153 B/ 160/290/297/504 OF I.P.C.

Has the Police Station been informed? It was said that file case in

the Court.

Name of the Witnesses:

1. Mahesh Shah, S/o Late Bhikhari Shah

2. Santosh Kumar, S/o Late Krishnadev Ojha

3. Ajit Kumar, S/o Shri Anil Kr Ojha

(All residents of Prahladpur Patahi, P.S. – Sadar, Dist.- Muzaffarpur, Bihar.)

4. Kangna Ranaut, Actress

5. Madhur Bhandarkar, Film Director

6. Vivek Agnihotri, Actor

(All residents of Mumbai)

7. Any other witness- The names will be given later on

Respectfully Soweth:-

That on 23.07.2019, all the accused persons and other 49 gentlemen had written letter to the Prime Minister of India expressing concerns over the growing the cases of lynching, which the complainant saw and read in the in the T.V. channels and news papers.

The intention of the accused persons is to damage the image of India and the Democracy of India by making false allegations. Writing of letter by these accused and expressing their dissent/protest have diminished the image of India and the effective way of working of the Prime Minister at international level and which is against the nationalism and humanity.

The accused persons have intentionally written the letter with the purpose to divide the country and with a view to spread enmity and causing the masses into conflict have thereby caused the act of sedition.

The accused persons are supporters of left wing ideology, which is clear from their letters.

Prayer

It is therefore prayed that the Hon'ble Court may be pleased to order for registering FIR and taking legal action against the accused persons under Section 156(3) of Code of Criminal Procedure 1973.

S/d

(Sudhir Kumar Ojha)

Complainant

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