Kuttrapattirikkai produced in 1994 still mired in legal battle

The film titled "Kuttrapattirikkai" (crime-sheet) was directed by R.K. Selvamani and produced by Yadavalaya. The story of the film was about the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbur, near Chennai, masterminded allegedly by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a militant organization fighting for the cause of ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils.

The film could not be released till now as the Central Board of Film Certificate (Censor Board) had declined to clear it considering its political undercurrents. The legal battle went on for ten years in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court. On the directives of the courts, the Censor Board re-examined the matter but stuck to its decision.

Yadavalaya, the producers, then filed a petition against the Censor Board in the Madras High Court which ordered issue of "A" certificate after deleting the portions which the Censor Board considered objectionable.

On behalf of the Censor Board, its counsel Mahadevan has now filed an appeal against the High Court order.

In his appeal, counsel stated that though the story of the film appeared to be fictional, it contained confidential portions of the report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which investigated Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. It is not known how the film-makers were able to obtain these portions from the CBI report. The film also showed how the assassination was carried out. And, the screening of this film would not be in the interests of the of the country and in fact, its security would be compromised, counsel contended in the appeal petition.

The petition came up for hearing on October 3 before Chief Justice A.B. Shah and Justice K. Chandru who directed Yadavalaya to file its counter in two week's time.