SC refuses to lift stay on ‘Udaipur Files' release, asks Centre to review film by July 21
The film was scheduled to be released on July 11. The Delhi High Court had stayed the release on June 10 and directed the Union government to examine the film's content.
On Wednesday, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymala Bagchi said that it expected the Union government to take its decision ' immediately, without loss of time ', reported Live Law.
The bench added that it would await the outcome of the government's review and listed the matter for further hearing on July 21.
In June 2022, Lal, a tailor, was killed in Rajasthan's Udaipur for purportedly sharing a social media post in support of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party Spokesperson Nupur Sharma. She had made disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad during a television debate in May 2022.
The assailants and several other persons accused in the matter were arrested by the Rajasthan Police. A video showed two men claiming responsibility for the killing of Lal as they brandished the cleavers used in the murder.
The murder case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency and the persons accused in the matter were charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The trial is underway in a Special NIA Court in Jaipur.
The High Court had stayed the release of Udaipur Files while hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani, seeking a ban on the film. The petitioners had alleged that the film is communally provocative and vilifies the Muslim community
A day before the order, the Supreme Court had heard a writ petition filed by Mohammed Javed, one of the eight persons accused in the murder case.
Javed argued that the release of the film would violate his right to a fair trial. He had sought that the release of the film be postponed until the trial in the matter concluded. The petitioner also argued that the film, based on its trailer, appeared to be communally provocative.
In response, the Supreme Court said that the petition could be mentioned before the appropriate bench when the Supreme Court reopened on July 14 after the summer break. It added that the movie could be released in the meantime.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Udaipur Files': Delhi HC to hear on Wednesday pleas challenging film's release, says ‘no urgency'
Noting that there is no immediate urgency to hear petitions challenging the release of the film Udaipur Files as it does not have a Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certification as yet, the Delhi High Court on Monday posted the pleas for hearing on Wednesday. The release of the film, based on the murder case of tailor Kanhaiya Lal by alleged Islamic fundamentalists in 2022, is under challenge in two petitions before the Delhi High Court – one by Maulana Arshad Madani, principal of the Darul Uloom Deoband, and another by Mohammed Javed, an accused undertrial in the murder case. Last week, the Supreme Court refused to interfere in the matter and sent it back to the high court for consideration. On July 10, the high court had temporarily stayed the film's release while granting those aggrieved by the purported portrayal in the film, vilifying Muslims, to represent the matter before the Central government and seek a review of the CBFC's decision to greenlight the film's release. Taken up before a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Madani's counsel told the court that senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who will be arguing the matter, was unavailable on Monday and sought an adjournment. Meanwhile, Javed, represented by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, told the court that with the producer's admission that the film is based on the chargesheet in the case and given that Javed is an undertrial, his right to fair trial will be prejudiced. Upon a query from the court on whether the film has been recertified by the CBFC subsequent to the Centre's review of it, the court was informed that while the movie was approved with six cuts and a disclaimer, which has been incorporated by the producers, CBFC certification remains to be issued. Taking note that a film cannot be exhibited till CBFC certification is issued, the court observed, 'as on date no urgency', and acceding to the request for adjournment, posted the matter to Wednesday. Madani, in his petition, pointed out that the movie is 'replete with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in the very recent past and thus carry every potential to again stoke the same communal sentiments'.
Hans India
12 minutes ago
- Hans India
P Chidambaram Responds To Controversy Over 'Evidence' Remarks On Pahalgam Terror Attack
Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram has addressed the political storm surrounding his recent comments on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Chidambaram, in an interview, questioned why the attackers have not been apprehended or their identities revealed, asking, 'Why have you not apprehended them? Why have you not even identified them?' This led to accusations by the BJP, notably Amit Malviya, who claimed that Chidambaram and the Congress were giving a "clean chit" to Pakistan. Responding to the controversy on social media, Chidambaram criticized what he called the 'worst kind of troll'—those who distort interviews by sharing only selective clips. He stated that such actions misrepresent his position and spread misinformation. He also noted the lack of comprehensive official information about the case, highlighting that details have been released only piecemeal by various officials, while there has been silence from top ministers. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), meanwhile, has arrested two local men alleged to have assisted the terrorists and maintains that the attackers were Pakistani nationals, although their names have not yet been released. Chidambaram continues to challenge the narrative, suggesting that the possibility of 'homegrown terrorists' should not be dismissed without clear evidence and transparency from the authorities. Chidambaram is scheduled to participate in the upcoming parliamentary debate on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, where these issues are expected to be discussed in detail.
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Every Time There's An Election...': TMC MP Mahua Moitra Exposes BJP's 'Hindu-Muslim Danga' Strategy
Watch the full interview: where TMC MP Mohua Moitra claims BJP fans Hindu-Muslim riots every time there is an election. Refering to the recent Murshidabad violence, Moitra said it has been a 'classic' BJP tactics to polarise voters ahead of elections. In an exclusive interview with TOI Bharat, TMC MP Mohua Moitra tore apart BJP for allegedly picking up Bengali migrant workers in states illegally. In a freewheeling chat with Aditi Prasad on the recent crackdown on Bangladeshi immigrants in Gurugram, Mahua Moitra alleges that due process have not been followed while detaining Bengali-speaking migrants despite showing identity proofs. Moitra says legal migrants are being picked up on the basis of language, hinting at a sinister ploy to persecute people from Bengal. She has also issued warning that the issue will blow up in the face of BJP which aims to wrest power from Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal in the 2026 assembly elections.#mahuamoitra #mahuamoitrainterview #mahuamoitraspeech #tmc #bjp #pmmodi #narendramodi #amitshah #mamatabanerjee #bengal #bengali #gurugrambengali #gurugrambangladeshi #bengalimigrants #bengaliimmigrants #bangladeshi #bangladeshiimmigrants #illegalimmigrants #rohingyas #bsf #murshidabadviolence #bengalelections #bengalassemblypolls #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews Read More
