Cinema VinesThe prosecution has filed a brief against the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and a police inquiry into a complaint lodged by actress Ansiba Hassan against fellow actors Lakshmipriya and Shwetha Menon. The case was heard in the Ernakulam Magistrate Court on July 21, 2026, where the prosecution argued that the allegations in Hassan’s complaint should be treated as a defamation matter rather than a criminal offence warranting an FIR.
During the hearing, the prosecution presented its view that the claims made by Hassan do not meet the threshold for criminal investigation and are instead civil in nature. It highlighted that the complaint does not justify the registration of an FIR, and therefore the matter should be addressed through civil proceedings. The court has reserved its decision, which is scheduled to be announced on July 27, 2026.
Ansiba Hassan’s lawyer, advocate Firdous Ammanath, expressed surprise at the prosecution’s stance, noting that it is uncommon for the prosecution to oppose the filing of an FIR. He said, “We approached the court because no FIR had been registered despite the complaint. We have presented our arguments before the court, and now we await its decision.”
The prosecution’s position follows statements made months earlier by Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who had publicly confirmed that an FIR had been registered against Lakshmipriya based on Hassan’s complaint. However, the current submission to the magistrate court contradicts that earlier claim, insisting that the complaint cannot form the basis for an FIR and should instead be treated as a defamation case.
The court’s ruling on July 27 will determine the next steps in the dispute, potentially clarifying whether the complaint will proceed as a civil defamation suit or whether a criminal investigation will be initiated. The outcome will be closely watched by the film industry and the public, as it touches on the legal boundaries between defamation and criminal allegations in the entertainment sector.
