A magistrate court at Bandra in Bombay on July 4 issued a show cause notice to the city police for not submitting an inquiry report in a criminal complaint filed by YouTuber Vikas Pathak against film and television producer Ekta Kapoor for allegedly disrespecting Indian soldiers in one of her web series. The court had in February directed the Khar (Bombay) police to conduct an inquiry into the complaint against Ekta and others under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The investigation report was to be submitted by May 9, but the police missed the deadline.
Vikas Pathak, alternatively known as ‘Hindustani Bhau’, had also named Ekta’s parents, Shobha Kapoor and actor Jeetendra, and her OTT platform, Alt Balaji, in the complaint. As per the complaint, a web series on Alt Balaji showed a military officer engaging in an “illicit sexual act” in one of its episodes. The plaint said, “The accused have stooped to a cheap low and shamelessly targeted the dignity and pride of our country by depicting Indian army military uniform in the illicit sexual act with national emblem on it.”