The Supreme Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to India Head of Amazon Prime Video, Aparna Purohit in the case registered against her in connection with the web series ‘Tandav’.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Subhash Reddy also observed that the regulations in place to govern Over the Top (OTT) platforms are toothless and such content cannot be regulated without a law in place.
The Court was hearing the Purohit’s appeal challenging the Allahabad High Court order which had denied her petition for an anticipatory bail in FIR filed in Greater Noida with regard to the ‘Tandav’ web series.
The top court had asked the Central government to submit the OTT regulations brought in force on February 5.
However the court noted that it was not sufficient, Bar & Bench reported.
“We went through the Technology intermediary guidelines. But there is no teeth. No power of prosecution.
These are just guidelines. No mechanism to control it. Without legislation you cannot control it,” Justice Bhushan remarked.
To this Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the government will prepare a draft law and submit it before court for consideration.
Supreme Court proceeded to issue notice to the government in the matter and protected Purohit from arrest in the Greater Noida FIR subject to her cooperating with the investigating agency.
