Udaipur Files Supreme Court hearing– A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi heard the plea on Wednesday and stated, “Let the film be released.” The judges advised the petitioner to take the matter to a regular bench after the court reopens from its summer break.
The movie is set to release on July 11, 2025.
Accused in murder case says film may harm fair trial
The plea was filed by Mohammed Javed, the eighth accused in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. He claimed that the film’s release could negatively impact his ongoing trial. According to Javed, the trailer and promotions of the movie are “communally provocative” and portray the accused as guilty even before a verdict has been reached.
He urged the court to delay the release until the trial ends, saying it would protect his right to a fair and unbiased legal process.
Delhi High Court asks for film screening
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has asked the film’s producers to arrange a private screening for the petitioners who have filed cases seeking a ban on the film. A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal issued the direction, and the screening was scheduled for Wednesday. The next hearing is set for Thursday.
The petitioners include Maulana Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, and journalist Prashant Tondon. They claim that the movie promotes hate speech and unfairly targets certain religious communities.
Debate over freedom of expression vs communal impact
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, argued that while freedom of speech must be protected, the film appears to fuel communal tension. He requested the court to view the entire film before making a judgment.
In response, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), said the film had already gone through the proper review process. He stated that all objectionable content flagged during certification had been removed.
What is ‘Udaipur Files’ about?
Udaipur Files is based on the June 2022 murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He was allegedly killed by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous after he shared a social media post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma, who had made controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
The case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. The trial is currently ongoing in a special NIA court in Jaipur.
