In a first, police in Kerala book online movie reviewers, social media platforms for extortion

Kerala police have registered a case against seven online movie reviewers and social media platforms for extortion and public order violation based on a petition by a film director. The accused allegedly posted negative reviews with the aim of extorting and bringing disrepute to the petitioner. The case invokes IPC Sections 385 and 34 and the Kerala Police Act Section 120 (o). The move follows a petition to the Kerala High Court seeking to establish clear guidelines for online film critics.

In perhaps a first-of-its-kind move in Kerala, the Ernakulam Central police have registered a case against seven major online movie reviewers and social media platforms for extortion and violation of public order based on a petition by a film director.

The move assumes significance as the Kerala High Court had earlier in October issued notice to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition seeking to establish clear and transparent guidelines for online film critics and vloggers.

Among the accused are Hains, owner of a cinema promotion company named Snake Plant; a person with a Facebook account under the name anoopanu6165; YouTubers Arun Tharanga and Aswanth Kok and operators of YouTube channels NV Focus and Trend Sector 24X7; and Travelling Soulmates with a social media handle of soulmates55. Social media platforms YouTube and Faecbook have also been arraigned as accused in the case.

An FIR was registered based on a complaint lodged by Ubaini E., director of the recently released Malayalam movie Rahel Makan Kora.

According to the FIR, the accused targeted the movie soon after its release on October 13, 2023 by posting negative reviews interspersed with abusive words on social media platforms Facebook and YouTube with the aim of extorting and bringing disrepute to the petitioner. The first accused allegedly threatened the petitioner that initiating legal measures will be futile and bring only further damage.

The police have registered the case invoking Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 385 (extortion) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and the Kerala Police Act Section 120 (o) (causing nuisance violation of public order).

Mubeen Rauf, director of the movie Aromalinte Aadyathe Pranayam, had moved the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to ensure that social media influencers and film reviewing vloggers refrain from publishing any reviews of his movie on social media for at least seven days from the date of the film’s release. The petitioner argued that when films fail at the box office due to unwarranted negative reviews, it directly impacts the livelihood of those involved in the industry.