HC puts Brahmi, Mohan Babu in a Spot
HYDERABAD: Taking exception to the alleged use of Padma Shri award as a title by actors K Brahmanandam and M Mohan Babu, the AP High Court on Monday observed that both of them had better return the award to the Centre and then, contest a petition filed against them in this regard. Mohan Babu had received the award in 2007 and Brahmanandam in 2009.
According to a Supreme Court directive, the award does not amount to a 'Title' and should not be used either as a suffix or prefix. If the directive is violated, the defaulter should forfeit the award.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, was dealing with a petition filed by BJP leader N Indrasena Reddy seeking a direction to the Centre to recommend to the President that he cancel or annul the Padma Shri awarded to Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam.
K Anthony Reddy, counsel for Indrasena Reddy, submitted that the script of the film Denikaina Ready, submitted to the Censor Board, had used Padma Shri as a title while referring to the actors. The Chief Justice observed it would be better for both to surrender the award in a gentlemanly way.
V Krishna Mohan, counsel representing Mohan Babu, explained to the court that it was not his client's fault and felt the producer might have done so without his knowledge.
However, the Chief Justice pointed out that the film was produced by none other than Twenty Four Frames Factory Pvt Ltd, owned by Mohan Babu's family, and then, pulled up the parties for misleading the court.
At one stage, the Chief Justice said if the respondents failed to rectify their fault, the court will proceed with investigation apart from calling the records pertaining to Mohan Babu's production house from the Registrar of Companies and seek tax returns details from the I-T department.
At another stage, the bench sought to examine both the actors and Gajendra Naidu, one of the directors of the production house. It, however, adjourned the hearing to next Monday following requests from the counsels of Brahmanandam and Mohan Babu.
The Manchu Vishnu-starrer Denikaina Ready had first landed in a controversy after Brahmin organisations alleged that it portrayed their community in a poor light. A legal battle was fought in courts and the producers had to finally cut a few scenes.
News Posted: 24 December, 2013
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