Indian filmmaker Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor have been charged in connection with the web series Gandi Baat, accused of depicting underage girls in a sexually suggestive manner.
According to a report by Indian media, the Mumbai police officer revealed that the web series on the online streaming platform ALT Balaji has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the IT Act. The series is also accused of trying to spread religious hatred.
The complaint was filed by yoga instructor Swupnil Rewaji, and following a local court’s order, the case was registered. Police inspector Karan Sorse mentioned that since Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor are the owners of Balaji Telefilms, the complaint was filed against them as well. However, no official response has been received from Ekta Kapoor or Balaji Films on this matter.
This is not the first time Ekta Kapoor has faced complaints. In the past, her series has attracted complaints for allegedly insulting the Indian army and its uniform.
In this case, the charges are related to ALT Balaji‘s series Gandi Baat and other web series like Class of 2017 and Class of 2020, where underage girls were allegedly shown in inappropriate scenes.
The case has been filed under Indian Penal Code sections, including Section 13 (using children for obscene purposes) and Section 15 (storing obscene content involving children), along with IT Act Section 67A (transmitting obscene content in electronic form) and sections of the Women’s Protection Act and IPC sections related to obscenity.
The complaint further alleges that a minor girl was shown engaging in explicit conversations and actions in the series, with a school uniform scene involving kissing, which could have a detrimental effect on children.
Police inspector Karan Sorse mentioned that some religious figures, including Sri Ravi Shankar and freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, were also depicted in a manner that allegedly hurt religious and national sentiments.
Regarding possible penalties for Ekta Kapoor, the charges carry severe consequences due to their connection to child sexual exploitation. Under Section 13 of the POCSO Act, a person can face imprisonment for 5 to 7 years for using children for pornographic material.
If someone is found in possession of child pornography and does not destroy or report it, they can face a fine of up to 5,000 rupees. Additionally, anyone found distributing, broadcasting, or sharing child pornography could face up to 3 years in prison or both a fine and imprisonment.
Section 295A of the IPC deals with religious offenses, and if someone insults a religion or its beliefs, they can be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison, a fine, or both.
On social media, many users have accused Ekta Kapoor of promoting obscenity, while others have sarcastically pointed out that if these were serious charges, why would she receive India’s prestigious award, Padma Shri. Some users have lauded the Maharashtra government for showing political courage to act against such content that allegedly harms society.
This controversy follows previous allegations against Ekta Kapoor’s Triple X series, where she was accused of depicting objectionable content involving military wives, leading to intense discussions and calls for her arrest.