Relief for Priya Prakash Varrier; SC stays criminal cases against internet sensation

The 18-year-old Priya got her instant fame after a small clip from her debut Malayalam film 'Oru Adaar Love' went viral.

Pic Courtesy: Instagram

New Delhi: In a big relief to the overnight internet sensation, Priya Prakash Varrier, the Supreme Court has stayed all the cases pending against her. ANI reported that the apex court said that no criminal proceedings to take place against her till further hearing and put a stay on all the criminal cases against the Malayalam actress.

'Oru Adaar Love' filmmaker Omar Lulu and Priya Prakash had moved the Supreme Court recently seeking a stay on an FIR filed against them by the Hyderabad Police in connection with a controversy over the lyrics of the song Manikya Malaraya Poovi from the film 'Oru Adaar Love'.

Priya Varrier case: Supreme Court stayed all the cases pending against her and said no criminal proceedings to take place against her till further hearing. — ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2018

Reportedly, the complaint alleges that the song hurts religious sentiments. Priya had filed the plea seeking a stay on all criminal proceedings against her over her viral wink video. 

On February 16, the Raza Academy had penned a letter to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani seeking a ban on internet sensation Varrier's song 'Manikya Malaraya Poovi' from her debut movie 'Oru Adaar Love'. 

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud also extended similar relief to director of the Malayalam movie "Oru Addar Love".
Besides staying existing criminal proceedings, the bench restrained all state governments from registering any further FIR against the actress and the director with regard to the promotional video.

It also issued a notice to the Telangana government and others on a petition from 18-year-old Varrier, who shot into the limelight after her 'wink video' went viral on the internet.

Varrier, a B.Com student from a college in Kerala's Thrissur district, sought protection from an FIR lodged on complaints alleging that the lyrics of the song 'Manikya Malaraya Poovi' from the movie was "offensive" and had "violated the religious sentiment of a particular community". 

(With PTI inputs)