Tandav row: Director Ali Abbas Zafar, writer Gaurav Solanki summoned by UP police in Lucknow

New Delhi: ‘Tandav’ director Ali Abbas Zafar and writer Gaurav Solanki have been summoned by the Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday (January 27) in relation to the case filed against them in Lucknow for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through the web series. 

A team of UP police arrived at the residences of Zafar and Solanki in Mumbai. However, as their houses were locked the officers pasted the notices, asking them to appear before the Investigation Officer (IO) in Lucknow.  

“We have served notice asking him (Zafar) to appear before IO (Investigation Officer) on 27th January in Lucknow. His house was locked and nobody was there, so we pasted the notice there”, Anil Kumar Singh, Uttar Pradesh Police was quoted as saying by ANI. 

We have served notice asking him to appear before IO (Investigation Officer) on 27th January in Lucknow. His house was locked and nobody was there, so we pasted the notice there: Anil Kumar Singh, Uttar Pradesh Police https://t.co/Stp7tNICC5 pic.twitter.com/3dt48XMUuh — ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

His house was locked, so we pasted the notice there. He too has been asked to appear before the Investigation Officer in Lucknow, on 27th January: Anil Kumar Singh, Uttar Pradesh Police while leaving from residence of Gaurav Solanki, the writer of web series #Tandav, in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/uEChuC1jY3

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2021

A case was registered in Lucknow's Hazratganj Kotwali against Amazon Prime India head of original content Aparna Purohit, Ali Abbas Zafar, producer Himanshu Krishna Mehra, Gaurav Solanki for allegedly portraying Hindu gods in a bad light. 

On Wednesday (January 20), the Bombay high court granted transit pre-arrest bail for three weeks to Zafar, Solanki and others regarding the FIR filed against them in Lucknow. 

Meanwhile, another FIR was lodged against five people including Zafar, Himanshu Mehra, Solanki, Aparna Purohit and Amit Aggarwal in Mumbai's Ghatkopar. The case was reportedly filed following  BJP MLA Ram Kadam's complaint. 

‘Tandav’ has irked many BJP leaders and some people on social media who have alleged that the show mocks Hindu gods and promotes anti-Hindu sentiments. 

Saif Ali Khan starrer ‘Tandav’ released on OTT giant Amazon Prime Video on January 15, 2021. The star cast also includes Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Gauahar Khan, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kumud Mishra among others. 

(With inputs from ANI.)