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Cine Actors and Journalist in Chennai on Collusion Course

Syed Ali Mujtaba, Ph.D. - 10/13/2009

A news editor of a popular daily was arrested in Chennai for clearing a sleaze story alleging that many south Indian actresses are running sex shops in the city. The story invited a strong reaction from south Indian film chamber leading to the arrest of the editor, which in turn triggered instant protests from the journalists. The editor though was released on unconditional bail within forty eight hours; the journalist described his arrest an infringement on the rights of expression and muzzling of the freedom of press.

To pacify the raw nerves, South Indian film chamber issued a statement saying both cine stars and media need to work in tandem in perfect harmony and must avoid collusion course.

The journalists are in no mood to relent and are demanding stern police action against some of the cine artists who had herald heap of abuse on their profession, an unprecedented act never heard before.

All this started with the arrest of Tamil actress Bhuvaneswari running a sex shop with many female models from various states. Bhuvaneswari has acted in many Tamil and Telugu films and also in many TV serials. She was earlier arrested in 2002 for prostitution but was released for want of evidences.

However, this time police made some elaborate arrangement to bring her into its dragnet. The anti vice squad of Chennai police executed a sting operation on the basis of secret information received.

The squad sent a policeman as decoy in civil cloths to strike a deal with Bhuvaneswari who handed her the agreed amount after doing some bargaining. The decoy was then taken to a house in posh Adayar locality that housed two female models from Mumbai.

The decoy alerted the anti vice squad which swooped on the house and arrested the actress under the sections of Immoral trafficking Act of Tamil Nadu. They confiscated her mobile phone and memory chip having details of her clients.

The anti vice squad presented the confined girls before the magistrate and sent them to the government rehabilitation home in Mylapore locality of the city.

The Tamil daily ‘Dinamalar’ as a follow up to this news published a report saying the arrested actress in police custody has confessed of involvement of several popular Tamil and Telgue actresses engaged in sex service.

The newspaper claimed that Bhuvaneswari had given the detailed list of top Kollywood and Tollywood actresses involved in this business.

The newspaper said the police officials were shocked looking at the Bhuvaneswari’s list that had some of the top actors, politicians and even policemen visiting actress of Tamil and Telgue cinema involved in this unlawful act.

According to the newspaper the names of the actresses involved in sex service and running sex shops are; Seetha, Nalini, Anju, Shakeela, Manjula Vijayakumar, SriPriya and Namitha and others. The daily added that even some of the married actresses too were involved in this profession.

According to the newspaper, Bhuvaneswari reportedly told the actresses charged somewhere Rs 10,000 (S$300) and Rs 100,000 for sexual favors and this may even increase this amount on their mood and clients paying capacity.

The arrested actress reportedly claimed having substantial evidence against those she named and added having evidences in support. She also claimed some top police officers were her customers and alleged giving her enough trouble, some even cheated her many times on payments.

Though the newspaper quickly carried a regret note for its October 5 report, it brought an avalanche in the Tamil film industry. Leading stars including South Indian Film Artistes Association President and Secretary met Chennai City Police Commissioner and lodged a FIR against the newspaper.

They also convened a protest meeting in which they made inflammatory speeches against the media and, according to reports, the profession of journalism itself. This led to the arrest of the news editor under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Women Harassment (Prevention) Act.

The arrest evoked a sharp reaction from various media outfits that held a protest meeting. More than 200 journalists attended a emergency meet where video clippings showing speeches made by some actors at the South Indian Artistes Association meeting were screened.

The journalists staged a road agitation demanding the release of the news editor saying the arrest was totally uncalled for as there was no need for custodial interrogation when the material needed to make out a case was the news report published in the daily.

They said the editor of the newspaper had already expressed regret for the report and invoking the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Harassment of Women Act, instead of the usual defamation law for arrest under a non-billable section, showed that the police had acted under some pressure.

Well there is no doubt that the publication of the names and photographs of prominent public figures in relation to serious offences based on the strength of a supposed confessional statement is not ethical journalism. The report as it was published in ‘Dinamalar’ clearly offended many and went against ethics and good taste of journalism.

This episode brings to limelight the subject of improving the quality of media professional manning various outlets, through training and workshops and even need of good Journalism Schools.

However, the use of criminal law mechanisms to arrest the news editor reminded the dark days of National Emergency of 1975. It was arbitrary and entirely unnecessary. The law enforcing agencies should have mediated in such disputes and could have pacified both the sides to avoid any confrontation.

This episode nevertheless is an eye opener in many sense and few lessons could be drawn for future to avoid recurrence of such disputes.