Supreme Court quashes all cases against ‘Wink Girl’ Priya Prakash Varrier

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 31, 2018: In a major relief for teenage South-Indian actor Priya Prakash Varrier, popularly known as The Wink Girl, the Supreme Court on Friday quashed all police complaints against her alleging that a song in her upcoming film hurts religious sentiments.

The court also declared that no further complaints against the actor or the makers of Oru Adaar Love shall be entertained under IPC’s Section 295A that penalises all acts intending to insult religious groups. "Somebody in a film sings a song and you have no other job but to file a case," NDTV quoted Chief Justice Dipak Misra as saying. The bench also noted that there was no justification in reistering FIRs for this case in the first place.

Referring to a constitution bench judgement and a verdict delivered in a similar case lodged against cricketer M S Dhoni, the apex court said no offence under Section 295 A of the IPC is made out against the 18-year-old actor and others in the present case. Section 295 A of IPC deals with deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

It added that the song that has Varrier winking — which made her an overnight sensation — has no malicious intention and doesn’t outrage religious sentiment in any way.

Varrier, 18, had appealed to the apex court earlier in February this year, saying it was a traditional song, a tribute to Prophet Mohammed’s love for his first wife Khadeeja. Popular among Muslims in Kerala’s Malabar region, she alleged it had “been misunderstood by the complainants".

Following her plea, the SC had put on hold all cases against her.

 

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