"Right To Life Over Right To Speech": Top Court On Release Of Udaipur Files

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre's committee to take its decision in petitions related to the controversial movie "Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder", "immediately, without loss of time", considering the urgency expressed by the makers of the film. 

When the filmmakers contended that the Delhi High Court erred in stalling the film's release as the stay order violated the makers' right to freedom of speech and expression, the top court remarked that Article 21 (Fundamental Right to Life) will precede Article 19 (Fundamental Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression). 

The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked filmmakers to await the Central government's decision, which is scheduled to hear objections against the movie later in the day, as it adjourned the hearing of the petitions related to the matter to next Monday. 

"The Competent Authority (of the Central government) has taken cognisance of the revision petition over the release of the film pending before it and will be heard at 2:30 pm today," the court stated. 

The court told the filmmakers that the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal tailor murder case-- Mohammad Javed--can't be compensated for the loss of reputation if the film is released, but the filmmakers can be monetarily compensated.

Justice Kant further remarked that in the film business, it's known that the more suspense around the movie, the better it is.

Senior counsel Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for filmmakers, has submitted that the producer and director of the film, as well as the son of late Kanhaiya Lal, were receiving death threats. The Court allowed them to make a representation to the police of the area, who were directed to assess the threat perception and do the needful to prevent harm if there is substance in their apprehension.

The top court was dealing with two petitions - one writ petition filed by one of the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal Teli murder case (on which the movie is based), and the second, filed by the makers of the movie challenging the Delhi High Court order staying the release of the movie.

The bench asked the Centre's committee to take a decision immediately without loss of time after hearing all the parties.

The Court also allowed Mohammad Javed to present his arguments before the committee through his counsel. "We permit Mohammad Javed (accused before the Court) to enter appearance through counsel before the central government in the pending revision petition, and we direct the committee to afford hearing to him as well. Having regard to the nature of the proceedings, we expect that the Committee will decide the revision petition immediately without any loss of time," the bench said. 

The film was scheduled to be released on July 11. On July 10, the Delhi High Court stayed the release till the Centre decides on pleas seeking a permanent ban over the film's potential to "promote disharmony" in society.

The petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president and Darul Uloom Deoband principal Maulana Arshad Madani before the high court, claim that a trailer of the movie released on June 26 was replete with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in 2022, and carries every potential to stoke the same sentiments again.

Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022, allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous. The assailants later released a video claiming that the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma following her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed.

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

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

Trending News