Delhi High Court stays release of Vijay Raaz-starrer Udaipur Files, asks Centre to decide on certification

Udaipur Files is based on tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case. It stars Vijay Raaz, and is jointly directed by Bharat S. Srinet and Jayant Sinha.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the release of 'Udaipur Files' movie, which is based on tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case, and scheduled to hit the screen on July 11, till the Centre decided the pleas seeking a permanent ban on the film.

Udaipur Files was set to release on July 11.

Stay on the release of Udaipur Files

A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal directed the petitioners to approach the Centre within two days with their grievance.

The petitioners, accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case, moved court contending that the film's release would jeopardise their chances of a fair trial.

The bench said that "admittedly, petitioners have not taken recourse to available remedy with the central government."

"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 said.

Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022 allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous.

The assailants had later released a video claiming the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma after her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed.

The case was probed by the National Investigation Agency and the accused were booked under stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides provisions under the Indian Penal Code.

The trial is pending before the special NIA court in Jaipur.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday turned down the request for an urgent hearing on a petition seeking a stay on the release of the film. Advocate Pyoli, representing the petitioner, told the apex court: “The movie is regarding a murder case where the trial is at a crucial stage. Witnesses are being produced and the release of the movie will hamper my right to a fair trial."

(via inputs from PTI)