Kerala High Court asks trial court to reconsider Ansiba Hassan's plea for FIR against Lakshmi Priya

The matter concerns a video circulated on social media of an interview given by Lakshmipriya to Can Channel. Hassan claims that the interview included sexually coloured remarks against her, which were intended to outrage her modesty and damage her reputation.

She asserted that Lakshmipriya's comments and the circulation of such content disclosed the commission of cognisable criminal offences.

However, on July 27, an Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate dismissed her plea to order the registration of an FIR into the matter. Hassan had challenged this order before the High Court.

Today, Justice Jobin Sebastian ordered the trial court to reconsider the matter.

"Accordingly, the Crl MC is allowed in part, and Annexure 7 order is set aside. The matter is remitted to the learned Magistrate for fresh consideration. The Magistrate shall independently examine the allegations contained in the complaint and the material available on record and determine, in accordance with law, whether the allegations prima facie disclose commission of a cognisable offence and, if so, whether the circumstances warrant a direction for police investigation. The learned magistrate shall also consider whether police investigation is necessary for the purpose of collection of evidence which cannot be effectively secured by the complainant herself," the High Court ordered.