The Supreme Court on Friday asked actor-producer Mohan Babu and actor Brahmanandam to file an undertaking that they would not misuse the Padma award title.
A bench of Justices H.L. Dattu and S.A. Bobde gave this direction after hearing senior counsel Soli Sorabjee, appearing for Mr. Mohan Babu and Mr. Brahmanandam, who assured the court that the title would not be misused.
The Bench asked the counsel to file an affidavit declaring no misuse of the Padma award title by the appellants within a week and posted the matter for further hearing on April 17.
Acting on a writ petition filed by the former president of the BJP’s Andhra Pradesh unit, N. Indrasena Reddy, seeking cancellation of the awards as the duo had “misused” them, the Andhra Pradesh High Court told the appellants that it would be appropriate if they returned the Padma Shri awards to the Government and then contested a writ petition seeking cancellation of the honour.
Mr. Reddy had complained that the two awardees had used the title ‘Padma Shri’ before their names for promoting the Telugu film ‘Denikaina Ready’ (Ready for Anything) produced by Mr. Mohan Babu and starring his son Vishnu.
“According to rules, the award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the winner's name on letterheads, invitation cards, posters and books among others," the petitioner had contended in the High Court.
