DNA

Jun 23: The much publicised film on the life and controversy surrounding former Miss Jammu 2001 Anara Gupta could not be released in theatres across Jammu on Friday after Shiv Sena activists came on streets and resorted to huge protest demonstrations.

‘Miss Anara’ was set to be released in theatres in Jammu and Udhampur districts on Friday. Theatre owners, however, did not screen the film after Shiv Sena activists resorted to protests and burnt the effigies of Anara Gupta in Jammu.

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Anara was arrested in October 2004 after a porn CD allegedly featuring her surfaced in Jammu. The CD was sent to Hyderabad Forensic laboratory for analysis which later stated that the girl featuring in the pornographic clip was not Anara Gupta. On November 10, 2004 she was released from jail unconditionally.

 The alleged mishandling of the case later snowballed into a major controversy prompting the government to suspend several senior police officers associated with the investigation process. A few years back, a Bollywood producer decided to make the film on her life and signed Anara for the lead role. Three years on, the mystery still shrouds the girl featuring in the porn CD. The Shiv Sena has been demanding to unravel the mystery behind the CD and expose those persons involved in the racket. They have even approached the court pleading re-investigation of the whole issue.

“We believe the porn CD case was not thoroughly probed because there were certain officials involved in this racket. We have approached the court seeking a probe. Till the probe is completed, this film should not be released. We want to know the truth which can be unravelled only after the probe,” said Anand Sharma, state president of the Shiv Sena.

Sharma said their agitation will continue and they will not allow theatre owners to release the film in Jammu.

 “Theater owners have decided not to release the film on their own, which is a good sign. There was an attempt to release it in Udhampur which was later foiled,” he said.