"Doordarshan has constantly been receiving complaints from various quarters about the adverse impact of the serial, especially on children," said DD's controller of programmes Y P Singh in an affidavit submitted before Justice M K Sharma.

DD's reply followed a petition by Bheesham International (BI), a company owned by Mukesh Khanna, who is the producer, director and main actor in Shaktimaan.

BI sought to restrain DD from discontinuing the serial claiming that the media reports about its adverse effect on the minds of children were not found to be "correct".

However, DD said in view of the complaints from various individuals, political and social organisations and NGOs, it became a cause of concern for it to continue the serial.

The DD said permission to telecast 104 episodes ofthe serial was given under an agreement with BI on September 5, 1997 which also provides that either party is entitled to terminate it on a month's notice.

Khanna's counsel Arun Jaitely said all the complaints about the reported "ill effect" on the minds of children were received by DD only after November when some "false" reports appeared in a section of media for the first time.

Denying petitioner's allegation that termination decision was taken with a "mala fide" intention, DD said the public perception compelled it to issue a notice to the producer even though Shaktimaan was gaining more popularity.

In these circumstances the DD's action could not be termed as "illegal" as the serial had generated unprecedented controversy not only in major cities and towns, but also in remote areas, the affidavit annexing about 30 such complaints received by DD, said.

It drew the court's attention to the fact that the issue was raised in both Houses of Parliament and Human Resource Development MinisterMurli Manohar Joshi had written a letter to DD's director about the adverse effect of the serial.

Contesting DD's claim, Jaitley said it was taking an entirely contrary stand here as it had filed an affidavit in the Rajasthan High Court stating that all reports about the ill effects of the serial on the children were "false".

The matter was adjourned for tomorrow with the direction to the petitioner to file a rejoinder to the DD affidavit.