Kochi, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Kerala High Court on Thursday admitted actor Ansiba Hassan’s petition challenging a Magistrate’s refusal to direct police to register an FIR over allegations that objectionable videos were circulated to damage her reputation.
Justice Jobin Sebastian issued notices to the state government, the Station House Officer of Palarivattom Police Station and the Ernakulam district police chief, granting them one week to submit their responses. The matter has been posted for further hearing next week.
The petition was filed against fellow actor Lakshmi Priya and two officials associated with CAN Channel over the alleged publication and circulation of videos that Ansiba claims were intended to harass and defame her.
During the hearing, the High Court examined the offences cited by the actor and questioned whether the allegations met the requirements of the legal provisions invoked.
While discussing one of the offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Justice Sebastian observed that the provision was not gender neutral and remarked that only men could commit the offence.
Ansiba’s counsel submitted that apart from Lakshmi Priya, two other individuals had also been named as accused — the person who conducted the interview and the owner of the YouTube channel through which the content was allegedly shared.
The court observed that merely conducting an interview would not automatically make the interviewer liable for the alleged offence.
The High Court also examined the sequence of events leading to the petition. After police declined to register a case on her complaint, Ansiba approached the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Ernakulam.
Although the Magistrate sought a police report under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the request for a direction to register an FIR was rejected.
During Thursday’s hearing, the court questioned whether the Magistrate had specifically ruled out the applicability of other cognisable offences after police concluded that only defamation was made out.
Since the order did not clearly address the issue, the High Court admitted the petition for detailed consideration.
Ansiba has alleged offences under Sections 75(iv) and 79 of the BNS, Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act, and Section 119(a) of the Kerala Police Act, claiming that the videos were circulated through social media with the intention of humiliating and harassing her.
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