‘Mirzapur’ row: HC stays arrest of web producers Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court on Friday stayed the arrest of ‘Mirzapur’ web series’ producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani in pursuance of the FIR registered against them at Kotwali Dehat in Mirzapur district.
Hearing a writ petition filed by Akhtar and Sidhwani, a division bench comprising Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Subhash Chand also issued notice to the state government and the complainant in the matter seeking their respective replies (counter affidavits).
The court directed to list this case in the first week of March.
The FIR was registered against the petitioners under section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and other sections of IPC and 67-A of Information Technology Act.
The main allegation in the FIR is that the petitioners, who are stated to be running a production company and are producers of web series ‘Mirzapur’, are guilty of offences under the above sections by improper and indecent portrayal of the town of Mirzapur.