'Let It Be Released' : Supreme Court Refuses To List Plea Against 'Udaipur Files' Movie Before Its Release

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 9) refused to urgently list a petition against the screening of the film "Udaipur Files : Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder", ahead of the scheduled date of release of the film, July 11.

Before a bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Advocate Pyoli mentioned a petition filed by an accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case against the film, contending that its release would violate his right to fair trial. She requested an urgent listing of the petition, saying that the film is due to be released on coming Friday.

However, the bench refused to grant a listing ahead of the film's release and asked the counsel to mention the matter before the concerned bench on the reopening (July 14).

When the counsel highlighted that the film will get released in the meantime, Justice Dhulia said, "Let it be released."

The petition has been filed by one Mohammed Javed, who is facing trial as the eighth accused in the case. He sought the stay of the film's release till the trial in the case is over.

Kanhaiya Lal Teli, an Udaipur-based tailor, was brutally murdered in June 2022, allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous. The perpetrators later released a video claiming the murder was in retaliation for Kanhaiya Lal allegedly sharing a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma, a former BJP spokesperson, soon after she made controversial comments about the Prophet. The case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency, and offences under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian Penal Code have been framed against the accused. The trial is progressing before the Special NIA Court, Jaipur.

The petitioner contended that the film, scheduled to be released on July 11, appeared to be communally provocative from its trailer and promotional materials. Releasing such a movie at this juncture, portraying the accused as guilty and the story as conclusively true, has the potential to seriously prejudice the ongoing proceedings, the petitioner contended.

The petitioner relied on Section 6 of the Cinematograph Act, which gives special revisional powers to the Central Government to revoke the certification of a film in public interest, and argued that this power ought to be invoked.

Islamic cleric's body, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, has approached the Delhi High Court against the film's release, contending that it was communally divisive.