Case against <i>Tickle My Funny Bone</i>

Mumbai (UNI): Police have registered an offence against the producer and director of the controversial English movie Tickle My Funny Bone, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Christian community. Police informed Bombay High Court about this today, as the court was hearing a petition filed by city-based lawyer Gerry Coelho, seeking a ban on the screening of the movie and criminal action against the movie-maker. Making a statement before a division bench comprising Justices D G Deshpande and S A Bobde, police said they have registered an offence under section 295-A, against the producer and director of the movie and both of them are absconding. However, the objectionable posters of the movie have been removed.

In his petition, Coelho had alleged that nuns were shown in objectionable clothes and manner in the film and its posters and that some of the shots in the film are highly objectionable and hurt the sentiments of Christian community at large. Earlier, during the hearing of the petition, the court had directed the police and censor board to file a reply in this regard.

In this regard, censor board's lawyer A Mishra today argued that as per the instruction of board Chairperson Sharmila Tagore, the film was recensored and the objectionable portions were deleted. Thereafter, nothing was left in the movie (as the deleted portions altered its storyline) and, hence, it was not released by the filmmaker. After hearing the reply of the censor board and police, the HC has allowed the petitioner to withdraw his plea.