(Image source from: x.com/RGVzoomin)
Tollywood director and controversial filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been facing charges and several cases are registered in Andhra Pradesh after the formation of the new government. Right after the cases are registered, he is absconding and the AP cops have staged a hunt for RGV. He posted a lengthy message on social media responding about the cases and about his busy life. Here is his statement:
Sorry to disappoint all those people who got hugely entertained by my so called absconding and the police teams trying to hunt me down across various states like Maharashtra, Chennai etc, because all this time I was here only attending my film work. One other thing which might shock you is the fact that the police dint even enter my office so far, nor did they say that they came to arrest me to neither to my people nor to the media. If they intended to arrest me why wouldn’t they come into my den office ??? The case filed on me is with regard to some meme posts I allegedly put on my social media more than a year ago which supposedly hurt the sentiments of a particular person strangely just a couple of weeks ago after 1 full year of putting up the alleged posts. What is even more strange is that 4 different persons from 4 different districts of Andhra Pradesh have filed cases on me in the same way and the media is reporting that 5 more have been filed thus making it a total of 9 cases so far and all of them have been filed within a span of 4 to 5 days ..So is the intention to make me run around in a continuous harassment? Since I was served a notice in the case I sought time due to my film work which was granted by the concerned official ..By the time I had to appear, I sought more time due to my still pending film work and also offered to appear virtually via video conference. Also it made me feel suspicious of a larger conspiracy since by that time several more cases were being filed in different districts on exactly the same pretext. I am very active on social media and I many times put more than 10 to 15 posts a day which will be amounting to thousands of posts in a period of one year ..I have no knowledge of the posts what they say I allegedly put. The alleged meme posts were related to the promotion of a political satire film i made which has been granted censor certificate which already released many months ago. The alleged meme posts that reportedly hurt the sentiments of some random people in different places all at the same time are at the end of this post. On the basis of these alleged memes a FIR has been filed on me under sections 336 (4), 353 (2), 356 (2), 61 (2), 196, 352 of BNS and section 67 of IT.
BNS 336(4)
Whoever commits forgery intending that the document or electronic record forged shall be used for the purpose of harming the reputation of any party or knowing that it is likely to be used for that purpose. Even thinking for a moment I did post , where’s the forgery in it ,when it’s an obvious cartoon/caricature/meme ..and if this can come under harming the reputation what about the millions of similar posts put every day by each and everyone on each and everyone including me.
BNS 353(2)
Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing false information, rumour or alarming news, including through electronic means, with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities. The application of this to my case beats me.
BNS 356(1)
Whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes in any manner, any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said to defame that person.
BNS 61(2)
An agreement between two or more persons to commit an illegal act (an act forbidden by law or a lawful act by unlawful means (e.g., using fraudulent methods to achieve a legal outcome). I will leave this interpretation to you.
BNS 196
Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony. I give up.
MY TAKE ON MY CASE—RGV@ndtv @IndiaToday @TimesNow @republic @TV9Telugu @NtvTeluguLive @sakshinews @tv5newsnow @BBCWorld @DDNewslive @ZeeNews
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) November 28, 2024
1.
Sorry to disappoint all those people who got hugely entertained by my so called absconding and the police teams trying to hunt me…
SECTION 67 IT act
Whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published or transmitted in the electronic form, any material which is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it. Section 67 only penalises transmission and publication of obscene material and what’s obscene about a satirical meme. Politicians have been constantly subjected to not only public scrutiny but also political satires and cartoons. In this case the politicians involved in the alleged meme have themselves not taken any offence for more than a year but some random persons are agitating which is prohibited in law.
What is supposedly posted on my social media is protected under ARTICLE 19(1)a of the constitution of India which clearly states that everyone shall have the right to express their views and opinions freely. This includes not only words of mouth, but also a speech by way of writings, pictures, movies, banners, etc. The cornerstone of every democratic society is freedom of expression. At its core, free speech is the ability to communicate openly and to receive information from others in any manner whatsoever . It is the primary prerequisite for liberty and a curtailing of this right will amount to being anti democratic. The concept of a meme effectively captures the essence of cultural transmission by the spread of ideas, behaviors, opinions and styles within a society.The rapid spread and evolution of memes, made them a strong part of digital culture where memes can be an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature. We are living in the times of social media where everyone from film people to politicos to regular people and who not are constantly ,opinionating, making jokes , scolding ,abusing ,advising ,sermonising , ranting constantly ..if all those are taken seriously I think cases will be filed on half the country. Coming back to my case , the police have come to my office within 30 minutes of me sending a letter to them asking for more time or requesting for a video conference owing to my busy work .
A virtual appearance is allowed as per the “Hon‟ble Apex Court if the circumstances warranted and in no way they do not compromise the integrity or fairness of the procedure
Furthermore, as per the digital police in the country. The “DIGITAL POLICE”
portal is in fact a Policing initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs as enunciated by the
Hon’ble Prime Minister, to provide effective services to both citizens and Police
investigations
MY TAKE ON MY CASE—RGV@ndtv @republic @TimesNow @republic @TV9Telugu @NtvTeluguLive @sakshinews @tv5newsnow @BBCWorld @DDNewslive @ZeeNews
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) November 28, 2024
11.
BNS 356. (1)
Whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes…
But without even replying to my letter the police came in along with the media ( Am not insinuating that they called the media I doubt they will act so fast even in the case of murderers and terrorists. Considering the dire need for more no. of police personnel required is it so urgent to pursue a social media post more than heinous crimes ? And doesn’t that let anyone suspect that there could be some political big wigs who are weaponising the police force for a personal vendetta. And after the police came they did not even enter my office premises.. They just left after 2 or 3 hours as suddenly as they came for reasons best known to them. Contrary to media stories that the police have formed teams to track me down from Mumbai to Chennai and wherever because I have been absconding , that’s completely false news because the truth is that the police so far did not even enter my den office or neither did the concerned officers even mentioned the word arrest ..But the media as usual created it’s high drama. The only reason I switched off my phone is to avoid the incessant media and related calls which were disturbing my work ..So far I din’t even get a reply from the concerned officers with regard to my request for additional time or allowing a video appearance. I filed a anticipatory bail petition due to the suspicious nature of multiple cases being filed from different districts thereby indicating a larger conspiracy but I am not blaming any particular person or a group behind this without knowing the facts ..But it’s obvious that there is something going on. I respect the law of the land and will strictly abide by the rules of the institutions , but I also have a fundamental right to exercise all recourses provided by the law to me under the constitution of India.
Lastly sorry once again to disappoint all the people who got hugely entertained by my so called absconding and the police teams trying to hunt me down across the states because all this time I was here only and not absconding anywhere and like I said the police dint even enter my office nor did they say that they came to arrest me. The media as usual made their own film starring me with a story that they themselves scripted ..I really wish I had as much talent as them
MY TAKE ON MY CASE—RGV@ndtv @republic @TimesNow @republic @TV9Telugu @NtvTeluguLive @sakshinews @tv5newsnow @BBCWorld @DDNewslive @ZeeNews
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) November 28, 2024
18.
We are living in the times of social media where everyone from film people to politicos to regular people and who not are constantly…
