'Loveyatri' row: No coercive action against Salman Khan, says SC

In a relief to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, the Supreme Court said on Friday that no coercive action would be taken on the complaints and FIR filed against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by producing 2018 movie 'Loveyatri'. Several private complaints and FIR were filed in against Khan, who runs production company Salman Khan Films, alleging that the movie's name has hurt religious sentiments of Hindus.

The film, earlier named as 'Loveratri', was changed to 'Loveyatri' by the producers keeping in mind that earlier name sounded like 'Navratri'. While disposing of Khan's petition, a bench of justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari granted relief to the actor in terms of the September 27 last year order of the apex court which had said that no coercive action shall be taken against Khan with regard to the film.

The apex court was told by the counsel appearing for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) that the movie was granted certification by the board after which it was released. "We dispose of the writ petition (filed by Khan) in terms of the order passed on September 27, 2018," the bench said.

In its last year order, the apex court had said "no further FIR/criminal complaint/criminal proceeding shall be entertained by any investigating agency anywhere if the allegations relate to the said movie or the contents of the movie." The top court was earlier told that the movie, released on October 5 last year, was cleared by the CBFC and despite this an FIR was registered in Bihar and a criminal complaint was pending in Vadodara in Gujarat.

Khan's lawyer had said that once the certificate has been granted by the CBFC, the producer is entitled to show the film in theatres, and no criminal law should be set in motion because of such individual perception relating to the name or any song in the movie. The movie stars Salman's brother-in-law Ayush Sharma and Warina Hussain.