High Court summons Censor Board after films inspire minor to elope

A division bench comprising Justice S Nagamuthu and Justice Anita Sumanth while hearing a habeas corpus plea (HCP) wherein a minor girl had eloped with her boyfriend, said, “They are directed to appear before the court on March 27 for explaining to the court as to why necessary action should not be taken against the Censor Board who are responsible for exhibiting such kind of cinemas involving POCSO Act offences.” 

The direction had come about after a minor girl who had eloped with her boyfriend in May last year, was traced only in February this year. She was found to be pregnant, and she told the judges in court on Monday that she eloped after witnessing similar acts in many films. 

The girl’s farther Sundarajan had moved the habeas corpus stating her daughter studying in Class 12 in Mayiladuthurai had gone missing since May 26, 2016. He had also submitted that later they came to know that she had eloped with a local youth Vimalraj (22). 

Mayiladuthurai police registered a ‘girl missing’ case. Police later traced Vimalraj to Kozhikode based on his mobile phone location. However, when they reached Kozhikode on February 10, 2017 the couple could not be traced at that location. 

However, they surfaced later, and in view of the habeas corpus proceedings initiated by her father in the High Court, they appeared in court on Monday. But the enquiry by the judges, as per the HCP procedure revealed that the girl was four months pregnant. She also told the judges that she had eloped with Vimalraj on her own volition, influenced by Kollywood films. 

Expressing anguish over the incident, the bench orally observed that society had been spoiled by exhibition of bad films, before summoning the heads of censor board to be present in court. Incidentally, the inquiry also revealed that Vimalraj was involved in several criminal cases in Mayiladuthurai region, and his father was also involved in several cases.