SC dismisses Bhatt's petition on 'Fanaa'

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed the petition filed by eminent film producer and director Mahesh Bhatt seeking directions to Gujarat DGP to provide protection for exhibition of Aamir Khan starrer 'Fanaa'.

A vacation bench comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice C K Thakker said, ''We are not inclined to entertain the petition. However, it goes without saying that if an exhibitor of the movie approaches the concerned police for protection, the same shall be provided.'' Earlier, counsel for NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch, petitioner number 2, Collin Gonsalves pleaded before the court that the protests were earlier confined only to the state of Gujarat but now had spilled over to Uttar pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also.

The petitioner said 'Fanaa' had been facing trouble in the BJP-ruled state of Gujarat simply because its hero Aamir Khan had taken stand against the construction of Sardar Sarovar dam project.

It may also be noted that Aamir Khan quoted Narmada Bachao Andolan's plea that tribals and farmers who had been ousted after acquisition of their lands by the government must be rehabilitated first, the petitioner said.

Mahesh Bhatt, in his petition, has also contended that such attitude of Sangh Parivar-related organisations amounted to infringement of the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

UNI AKS/SC PK VA VV1210