Goa police book Milind Soman for running nude on beach, posting picture

A first information report (FIR) was filed by the Goa police yesterday against actor and model Milind Soman for running nude on a beach in the state and circulating a picture of his exploit on social media. 

Soman had posted the picture, which was clicked by his wife Ankita Konwar, on the occasion of his 55th birthday on 4 November.

South Goa SP Pankaj Singh told the Indian Express newspaper, “A case has been registered at the Colva police station under IPC [Indian Penal Code] Section 294 [obscene acts and songs] and Section 67 of IT Act [publishing and transmitting obscene material in electronic form] against actor Milind Soman.” The complaint has been filed by the political outfit Goa Suraksha Manch.

Soman isn’t a stranger to such controversies. Even 25 years later, he and former model and Miss India Madhu Sapre are still known for the controversial nude photo shoot they did for a shoe brand in 1995. The two were acquitted in the case after 14 years. 

Meanwhile, actress Poonam Pandey and her husband Sam Bombay were also booked for obscenity in Goa earlier this week during a shoot. The two were also granted bail yesterday by a court in Goa. 

The judicial magistrate said in the bail order, “A professional shoot towards the making of a video or a film, in my considered opinion, cannot be outright termed as obscene or immoral merely because some members of the public say so, or there is public outcry about the same. Films and videos are covered under the right to expression, which is a fundamental right granted by our Constitution.” 

As soon as Soman had posted the nude picture, there was an uproar on social media urging action against him in light to the Pandey incident.