Supreme Court Awaits Centre Panel on 'Udaipur Files' Ban Decision

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) — The Supreme Court has postponed its hearing to July 21 regarding the film 'Udaipur Files - Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder.' The filmmakers have been instructed to wait for the decision of a panel appointed by the Centre, which is set to meet on Wednesday at 2:30 pm to address objections against the film.

During the proceedings, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized that while the filmmakers could be compensated monetarily, the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal tailor murder case could suffer irreparable damage to their reputation if the film is released.

The filmmakers had contested a Delhi High Court ruling that halted the film's release.

The bench instructed the Centre’s committee to make a prompt decision after hearing all relevant parties. It also ordered the panel to give the accused in the murder case an opportunity to be heard. The film's release was initially slated for July 11.

On July 10, the Delhi High Court stayed the release, pending the Centre's decision on pleas seeking a permanent ban due to concerns that the film might "promote disharmony" in society.

Petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president and Darul Uloom Deoband principal Maulana Arshad Madani, argued in the high court that the movie's trailer, released on June 26, included dialogues and scenes likely to incite communal discord similar to events in 2022.

Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor based in Udaipur, was murdered in June 2022, allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous. The assailants later released a video claiming the murder was retaliation for Lal's alleged support of a controversial social media post by former BJP leader Nupur Sharma concerning comments on Prophet Mohammed.

The case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The trial is ongoing in a special NIA court in Jaipur.