New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to issue an interim order against the release of the film ‘Udaipur Files’ – based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case.
Following the latest order of the Delhi High Court, the movie — based on the brutal June 2022 murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Udaipur, Rajasthan, by Mohammad Riyaz Attari and Ghaus Mohammad — is now likely to be released on Friday.
One of the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case, Mohammed Javed, moved a writ petition before the Delhi HC seeking a stay on the release of ‘Udaipur Files’, arguing that the release of the film could prejudice the ongoing trial proceedings pending before the Special NIA court.
It further stated that the trailer and promotional material of the movie contain provocative and communally sensitive content, which could disturb the country’s religious harmony and interfere with the ongoing trial proceedings.
Rejecting the application to stay the release of the film, a Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said: “We are of the opinion that the petitioner (Javed) has not been able to satisfy the court that a prima facie case is made out in his favour. The producer has invested huge amounts in producing the film. In case the exhibition of the film is stayed, the balance of convenience will be disturbed, which in our opinion lies in favour of the producer.”
In an earlier round of litigation, the movie — originally slated for worldwide release on July 11 — was halted following an order by the Delhi High Court.
The matter reached the Supreme Court, but it directed the parties objecting to the film’s release to approach the Delhi High Court to challenge the Centre’s revisional order, which had approved the movie’s exhibition with six edits.
On Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting informed the Delhi High Court that it had rejected the revision petitions filed under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and upheld the certification of Udaipur Files.
(IANS)
