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The Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday asked Telugu film actors Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam to return their Padma Shri awards for violation of rules accompanying them.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyothy Sengupta and Justice P Sanjay Kumar, while hearing a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader N Indrasena Reddy, took serious note of the actor duo prefixing Padma Shri to their names in credits of a movie.
The high court observed that Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam should have surrendered the awards gracefully.
The controversy erupted when the recipients carried the title of Padma Shri as prefix in the credits of the controversial film Denikina Ready (2012), produced by Mohan Babu's son Manchu Vishnu who also played a lead role in it.
Reddy had alleged that both the senior actors used prefix of Padma Shri to their names in the credits of the movie.
"According to rules, the award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the award winner's name on letterheads, invitation cards, posters and books among others," Reddy told media persons.
Mohan Babu and Brahmanandam were awarded Padma Shri in 2007 and 2009, respectively. The matter is posted for further hearing on December 30.
Image: (centre)Comedian Brahmanandam