NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday stayed the release of the film Udaipur Files : Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder , which was set to hit cinemas on July 11, until the Central Government decides on pleas seeking a permanent ban.
The court directed the petitioners, who are also accused in the 2022 murder of Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal, to approach the Centre within two days. They had argued that the film’s release would endanger their right to a fair trial and incite communal disharmony, challenging the CBFC’s certification.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal said the petitioners had not yet approached the central government with a revision application and, therefore, could not seek judicial intervention at this stage. “Since we are relegating petitioner to invoke revisional remedy, we provide that till the application for grant of interim relief is decided by the government there shall be stay on release of the film,” the bench stated.
The court also took note of recent remarks by the Supreme Court. A top court bench had declined to urgently list a similar plea, with an oral observation of “let the film be released.” However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, clarified that the Supreme Court had only rejected the request for urgent listing and had not reviewed the case file or ruled on the stay itself.
On Wednesday, the Delhi high court had directed the producers to arrange a screening of the film for those opposing it. The case relates to Kanhaiya Lal’s murder, allegedly carried out by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous after Lal reportedly shared a post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma.
The court directed the petitioners, who are also accused in the 2022 murder of Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal, to approach the Centre within two days. They had argued that the film’s release would endanger their right to a fair trial and incite communal disharmony, challenging the CBFC’s certification.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal said the petitioners had not yet approached the central government with a revision application and, therefore, could not seek judicial intervention at this stage. “Since we are relegating petitioner to invoke revisional remedy, we provide that till the application for grant of interim relief is decided by the government there shall be stay on release of the film,” the bench stated.
The court also took note of recent remarks by the Supreme Court. A top court bench had declined to urgently list a similar plea, with an oral observation of “let the film be released.” However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, clarified that the Supreme Court had only rejected the request for urgent listing and had not reviewed the case file or ruled on the stay itself.
On Wednesday, the Delhi high court had directed the producers to arrange a screening of the film for those opposing it. The case relates to Kanhaiya Lal’s murder, allegedly carried out by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous after Lal reportedly shared a post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma.
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