February 17, 2017
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on Saturday appeared before
Hyderabad police in connection with a case of obscenity booked against him for
his movie "God, Sex and Truth", and also for allegedly insulting the modesty of
a woman.
The filmmaker, whose controversial movie with American porn star
Mia Malkova was released on internet last month, appeared before the officials
of Central Crime Station (CCS) in response to the notice served on him.
The police officials questioned him about the allegations made against him by
women activists.
On January 25, a day before the release of the movie,
Varma was booked by the CCS. A case under section 67 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 was booked against him for publishing or transmitting
obscene material in electronic form.
The filmmaker was also booked under
sections 506 and 509 of Indian Penal Code for allegedly making personal comments
against women activists during the debate on the movie on some television
channels. When activists accused him of promoting obscenity, Varma allegedly
offered to make similar movies with them. He has been charged with insulting the
modesty of a woman.
The CCS this week issued fresh notice on Varma as he
could not appear before the officials earlier.
Women's organizations in
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had staged protest last month demanding ban on the
release of the movie on web and Varma's immediate arrest.
The activists
alleged that Varma released the movie on web to avoid the certification by
authorities. They said the filmmaker is portraying woman as a sex object and
promoting pornography.