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What is the case

  • Actress Munmun Dutta is well-known for her role as ‘BabitaIyer’ on the show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma.
  • A case was filed against the Actress on the grounds that she allegedly said some objectionable words about the SC/ST community. In the impugned video, the actress says that she wants to look good and not like ‘bhangi’.
  • This led to an outrage among the Netizens and a case was registered against her under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
  • An FIR was filed in Hansi by National Alliance for Dalit Human Rights convenor Mr. Rajat Kalsan and another case was filed based on a complaint by a community leader of a political party, Naresh Bohit at Goregaon Police Station on May 12.
  • Dutta claimed that she used the word due to her language barrier. On her Twitter handle, she wrote that the word used by her was misinterpreted and it was never meant to hurt, insult, intimidate, and humiliate anyone’s feelings. She also said that once she was made aware of the meaning of that word, she immediately took that part down.


Submissions by the Counsel for Dutta

  • The Counsel for the Actress, Puneet Bali, submitted that she had not used the casteist word intentionally and there was no motive on her part.
  • He also submitted that the Actress apologized for the same after being made aware of the meaning of that word and had removed that video.
  • He also submitted that she was unaware of the meaning of the word due to the language barrier being a Bengali.
  • However, the Hon’ble Court held that everyone knew the meaning of that word and that held that the same word is used in Bengali as well.
  • Bali also claimed that the actress had recently lost her father and agreed that she used the word, however, the context was different.
  • He further urged the court to direct a restraining order to the authorities from registering similar FIRs relating to the matter.
  • However, the Hon’ble Court did not pass any such order but said that the petitioner can approach the court if any fresh case is registered.

Current Scenario

  • The first FIR was lodged at Hansi City Police Station inHisar district of Haryana.
  • The Bench of Hon’ble Justices Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian sought response from the States of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra among others within 6 weeks; relating to the matter seeking clubbing of the all the FIRs lodged in the different states.
  • Given that, the Apex Court directed a stay on criminal proceedings in the multiple FIRs filed against the Actress on Friday, 18th June.

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