'Wild Karnataka' documentary: HC frames charges against filmmakers, BBC for violating court's orders
Bengaluru (PTI): A division bench of the Karnataka High Court has framed charges against documentary filmmakers Amoghavarsha J S, Sarath Champati, broadcasters BBC, Discovery and Netflix among others in a civil contempt of court petition.
The High Court framed the charges on Thursday in a case where the filmmakers and broadcasters are accused of disobeying a 2021 interim order of the court regarding the release and telecast of the documentary film 'Wild Karnataka.'
The original complainants in the case are Ravindra N Redkar and Ullash Kumar R K.
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Mudskipper Labs and ITV Studios Global had approached Kalyan Varma and Amoghavarsha to film a documentary in 2014.
After signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Karnataka Forest Department (KFD) to shoot a documentary, the accused allegedly used the services of the KFD like transport and shooting permissions without paying any charges.
The petitioners alleged that necessary permission for waiving the fees was not obtained.
The MoU vested the copyrights of the documentary and raw footage with the KFD but the filmmakers brought Icon Films of England and Wales on board without the former's knowledge.
The companies then entered into agreements with BBC, Discovery and Netflix to broadcast them though the KFD had specified the film would not be commercially used. The film was also released in theatres.
The original footage shot was 400 hours and the KFD had copyright over all the raw footage, the petitioners/ complainants claimed.
The HC on June 29, 2021 passed an interim order in the petition forbidding all the respondents from publishing or telecasting the film.
However, the film was released in theatres and telecast on broadcaster platforms. The complainants then filed the contempt petition before the HC.
The original petition is also still pending before the HC.
On January 17, the respondents submitted they are willing to pay compensation to the KFD.
The BBC offered Rs 3.5 lakh as compensation and Netflix, Rs 4.5 lakh.
Icon Films and Discovery also offered Rs 3.5 lakh each to the Tiger Conservation Foundation. The film makers and other accused also promised to pay compensation.
The High Court, however, agreed with the advocate of the petitioners that the 'apology appears to be sham in the light of the compensation offered by the accused,' and went ahead with the framing of charges.
The hearing has been adjourned to February 8.
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Guv invites Hemant Soren to form govt in Jharkhand, oath on Nov 28
Ranchi, Nov 24: JMM leader Hemant Soren on Sunday met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked claim to form the government, soon after leaders of the INDIA bloc in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.
He resigned as the chief minister, before staking claim to form the government. He will officiate as the acting chief minister till oath is administered to him on November 28.
"I met the governor. We staked claim to form the government, and handed over support letter of alliance partners to him. He invited us to form the government. The swearing in ceremony will be held on November 28," Soren told reporters after meeting Gangwar.
Soren, who drove to the Raj Bhavan in his car, said the governor asked him to officiate as the acting chief minister in the interim.
Soren will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. He will be sworn in as the chief minister for the fourth term.
Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the alliance, during a meeting at Hemant Soren's residence here, unanimously elected him as the coalition's leader.
Congress's Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior party leader Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides legislators of the coalition parties.
In a stunning comeback, Hemant Soren's JMM-led alliance on Saturday stormed to power in Jharkhand for a second consecutive term, winning 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, despite an all-out blitz by the BJP-led NDA which managed only 24 seats.
The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.
Soren retained the Barhait seat by defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.
Soren had to resign as the CM in January before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case.
He is out on bail after he was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, as the high court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the ED.
Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member, but his tenure in the upper House of Parliament was short-lived.
He resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. However, the alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President's Rule in the state. Despite this setback, Soren's resolve to lead Jharkhand never faltered.
In 2013, Soren became the state's youngest chief minister at the age of 38, forming the government with the support of Congress and RJD.
However, his first term was short-lived, as the BJP took power in 2014, and Soren became leader of the opposition.
A pivotal moment in his career came in 2016 when the BJP-led government attempted to amend laws protecting tribal land, such as the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act.
Soren led a massive movement to protect tribal rights, which not only earned him widespread support but also set the stage for his return to power.
In 2019, Soren, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, reclaimed the chief minister's office. His JMM party won 30 seats.
This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signaling the growing popularity of his leadership.
