Company Behind 'Bigg Boss Kannada' Takes Legal Action Against Premises Sealing and Contestant Eviction by Pollution Control Board

VELS Studio And Entertainment Private Limited, the host of the reality show 'Big Boss Kannada' at its Bidadi location, has approached the Karnataka High Court to contest an October 6 order from the State Pollution Control Board that mandated the immediate closure of the studio premises. The petition claims that the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board's action is arbitrary, illegal, and lacks jurisdiction, authority, and compliance with due process.It indicates that the closure order dated 06.10.2025 was carried out on the following day, 07.10.2025 (Tuesday), concerning the petitioner's property located in Bidadi, Ramanagara District, which contains the legitimate operations of VELS Studios and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. The petition claims that the order was issued with complete disregard for natural justice principles, denying the petitioner a chance to be heard.According to the plea, the respondents have tried to suddenly stop ongoing television production activities, including filming the well-known reality show "BIG BOSS", while acting beyond their authority and with a clear intention to harm. Moreover, it is claimed that the timing and rush involved in passing and executing the order—occurring as they did at the same time as the launch and public broadcast of that show—demonstrate a conscious and intentional effort to disrupt the Petitioner's legitimate business activities and impede its commercial operations.

Additionally, the plea argues that the order lacks details regarding the supposed pollutant, including its characteristics, concentration, and the method by which this pollution is alleged to have happened. Without these specifics, the order turns indistinct, capricious, and lacks justification. Moreover, the Respondent authority has not documented even minimal findings as mandated by law for a quasi-judicial order, thus breaching fundamental principles of natural justice.an industrial establishment or factory. According to Section 2(d) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, an "environmental pollutant" is defined as any substance that exists at a concentration detrimental to human life. Data from laboratory or clinical tests must necessarily support such a finding. In the current case, no such data or test report has been used as a basis. The Respondent's actions have been based solely on assumptions, which has made the impugned order arbitrary and unsustainable.The plea requests that the closure order be set aside. Meanwhile, it is seeking a stay on the operation of the order from October 6 and a direction to the respondents not to disrupt the daily business carried out at those premises.