A Mumbai court has issued a show cause notice to the city police for failing to submit an inquiry report in a timely manner regarding a complaint against film and television producer Ekta Kapoor. The complaint alleges that Kapoor disrespected Indian soldiers in one of her web series.
YouTuber Vikas Pathak, also known as "Hindustani Bhau," filed the complaint, also naming Kapoor's OTT platform ALT Balaji and her parents, Shobha and Jeetendra Kapoor. According to the complaint filed through advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, a web series on ALT Balaji depicted a military officer engaging in an "illicit sexual act" in one of its episodes. Pathak stated he came across the episode in May 2020.
The complaint asserts that the scene showed the officer wearing an Indian Army uniform with the national emblem, which the complainant believes insults the pride and dignity of the country. Pathak described the portrayal as "cheap and shameless".
The magistrate's court in Bandra had directed the Khar police in February to conduct an inquiry into the complaint against Kapoor and others under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This section allows a magistrate to either carry out an inquiry themselves or ask the police to investigate before deciding whether to take further legal action. The court had set a deadline of May 9 for the police to submit their report. The show cause notice was issued because the police missed this deadline. The court has now asked the police to explain the delay in submitting the report.
