Popular Malayalam actor and director Major Ravi has come out in support of fellow actress Shwetha Menon, who is accused of publishing or transmitting obscene scenes of some of her past movies and advertisements.
An FIR under section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology (IT) Act and provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act was lodged against the actor. The complainant, Martin Menachery, alleged that "By appearing in a condom advertisement years before and by acting in films like Paleri Manikkyam', Rathinirvedham' and Kalimannu', the accused (Menon) allegedly appeared in a vulgar and obscene manner".
Major Ravi, in a Facebook video, claimed that the case was registered against Shwetha Menon because of her decision to contest in AMMA organisation elections.
The actress is in the fray for the president's post in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), scheduled for August 15.
"Shwetha's father was in the Indian Air Force....When I learned about the matter, I called Shwetha and jokingly asked, 'What is this, dear?' But she was crying. She asked me, 'I have a 13-year-old daughter. Do these people doing this remember her situation? They are trying to trap me in a POCSO case.' It was when I heard her crying that I understood the seriousness of this matter.”
He pointed out that she acted in films cleared by the Censor Board, and not in pornographic films.
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"Moreover, the complaint is now filed in the name of a film she acted in ten years ago. Many YouTubers are live uploading everything Shwetha acted in for the film 'Kalimannu' on YouTube. It is clear that this is due to personal hatred.
He expressed his confidence in the police and judiciary and said the truth will be unveiled.
"They say there is also a complaint against 'Rathinirvedam'. This is the remake of a film. Why isn't a case filed against Jayabharathi Chechi, who did the original 'Rathinirvedam'? The complainant searched the internet for "Shwetha hot films" and such terms. It was when he searched for pornography that he saw all this. Why did he go searching for it? He is the one who should actually be punished. He will have to answer for all this in court.
Major Ravi sought to know why people are bothered by the actress contesting in the AMMA elections and added that Shwetha is not going to bow down before anyone.
"Why is there so much fuss when you hear the word 'election'? Your games won't work in Shwetha's case; the public is with Shwetha," he said.
