Karan Johar gets clean chit after 14 years in National Anthem row

In a major reprieve, director Karan Johar got a clean chit from a local court in Lucknow after 14 years of legal battle in a case filed against him on charges of insulting the national anthem in the movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam.

  The complaint alleged that in the movie the national anthem was sung and some people in the picture hall stood up while some kept sitting as there was no caution before playing the song which caused dishonour to the national anthem. National Honours Act Section 3 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1971 states that whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.   A logical interpretation of this Section implies that only those who "intentionally prevent" or "cause disturbance" to the singing of the National Anthem are liable to be prosecuted under the Act.