Mumbai police file charges against actor Ajaz Khan for obscene content

New Delhi: Mumbai Police have filed charges against actor Ajaz Khan for the indecent representation of women, following a complaint by Bajrang Dal regarding alleged vulgar content in his OTT show House Arrest.

If proven, the charges could result in up to three years of imprisonment.

Khan and other creators of the show—which has since been removed from the Ullu OTT platform—have also been charged under Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, which penalizes the publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form.

The FIR, registered at Amboli Police Station, includes charges against Khan and others for publishing or transmitting content deemed lascivious, appealing to prurient interest, or corrupting public morality.

The punishment for a first conviction includes imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, while second or subsequent convictions carry a harsher penalty of up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.

Khan also faces charges under Section 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to obscene acts and songs and carries a punishment of three months.

The penal provision prohibits performing obscene acts or uttering obscene words or songs in or near public spaces with the intent to annoy others, according to officials.

Additionally, the FIR against Khan and the OTT platform’s officials invokes Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

This section prohibits the production, sale, distribution, or postal transmission of any book, pamphlet, paper, slide, film, writing, drawing, painting, photograph, representation, or figure containing indecent representation of women. The maximum punishment under this provision is three years.

Mumbai Police have also ensured that the OTT platform’s decision-makers are not let off lightly. The FIR has invoked Section 7 of IRWA.

This section says that where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed, was in charge of and was responsible to the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: also made to face the consequences.

On Friday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned Ullu OTT platform CEO Vibhu Agarwal and Khan on May 9 in connection with alleged obscene content.

After massive backlash over the objectionable content and concerns raised by an women’s group, the OTT platform took down the show.

Maharashtra BJP Mahila Morcha President Chitra Wagh demanded a ban on the reality series, calling it "nothing but the epitome of vulgarity".

(inputs from IANS)