Samll-time Bollywood actress Payal Rohatgi was arrested and sent to jail by Rajasthan Police
Payal Rohatgi, a small-time Bollywood actress, has been granted bail by an additional district court judge in Bundi in Rajasthan after being arrested yesterday on charges of posting allegedly objectionable content about the Nehru-Gandhi family on social media. "The court of additional district judge granted bail to Payal Rohatgi today on two bail bonds of Rs 25,000 each," public prosecutor Yogesh Yadav was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Ms Rohatgi, who had been sent to eight-day judicial custody by a lower court, had an earlier bail application denied by that court. Ms Rohatgi's lawyer, Bhupendra Saxena, then moved a fresh application in the court of a district judge but it was moved up to an additional district court because the former is on leave today.
She has been booked under relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indian Penal Code, including that which deals with insulting with intent to provoke a breach of peace. Ms Rohatgi had, earlier this month, been served a notice that she had failed to answer, leading to a team of police officers being formed to bring her into custody.
On Sunday she had been detained - from her residence in Ahmedabad in Gujarat - by a Rajasthan Police team.
"Our team was there (in Ahmadabad) for investigation in the case against her but she was not cooperating," Mamta Gupta, Superintendent of Police was quoted by news agency ANI.
Payal Rohatgi has said she made the video - the allegedly objectionable content in question while a discussion on 'triple talaq' was happening in parliament (in the Monsoon session) and she felt the Congress was not supporting the bill.
The case had been registered by Rajasthan Youth Congress General Secretary Charmesh Sharma. In his complaint Mr Sharma alleged the content tarnished the image of the country and spread vulgarity and religious hatred, besides disgracing a woman's character.
The content had been posted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on September 6 and again on September 21.
Earlier this month, Ms Rohatgi alleged on Twitter that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was being pressured by the Gandhi family into acting against her.
She claimed she had a "recording" of people referring to the pressure and sought an apology from interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
With input from ANI, PTI