Complaint closed

The Bombay Police has closed the criminal case filed by activist Vijay Murdas last year against 48-year-old author Murzban Shroff for using the word "ghaati” in his book, Breathless in Bombay, as per a report in Daily News and Analysis (DNA) of January 24, 2010 (see "No offence meant,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, October 21, 2009). The criminal complaint had alleged that the derogatory term was intentionally used to create communal disharmony and incite feelings of hatred. But the N. M. Joshi Marg police station informed the High Court on January 20 that "they did not find any reason to prosecute the author and there is nothing offensive in the said book.” A report has already been submitted in the magistrate’s court to close the case, DNA reveals.

Murzban Shroff: not a trouble maker

Justice S. C. Dharmadhikari disposed of Shroff’s application seeking quashing of the FIR (first information report) registered against him after taking submissions from additional public prosecutor Madhvi Mhatre. While hearing Shroff’s application, the High Court had observed that "he is an author and not a trouble maker” and directed the police to investigate the matter accordingly. The police had also sent a letter to Shroff’s counsel stating that they are willing to close the case. Shroff informed DNA that the police had ruled that "the book gives a unifying message and no objectionable material has been found in it.” When the case comes up for hearing the magistrate is expected to pass the final order.

Shroff received support from fellow authors with the Writers of Prison Committee of International PEN, a global association with members in 104 countries, recommending in early January 2010 to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi that criminal charges against Shroff be dropped, DNA writes. Breathless in Bombay was short-listed for the 2009 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize in the best first book category from Europe and South Asia. It has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, a prestigious award for short stories in the United States, and for the John Gilgun Fiction award, according to the newspaper.