The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to the Centre and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) regarding a plea to shelve the upcoming film “2020 Delhi,” which is based on the north-east Delhi riots of February 2020. The plea, initiated by student activist Sharjeel Imam and others, argues that the film could potentially influence ongoing legal proceedings and the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections scheduled for February 5.
Justice Sachin Datta has asked the Centre’s counsel to provide instructions and set the next hearing for January 31. The court also extended notices to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Delhi Police, and the director and producers of the film, which is slated for release on February 2.
The petitioners, including Imam who is currently facing prosecution in connection with the riots, claim that the film’s promotional materials, such as posters, teasers, and trailers, portray a misleading narrative of a larger conspiracy behind the riots. They argue that this could prejudice the related legal cases, which are still in critical stages of judicial proceedings.
Additionally, five other individuals associated with the case have separately petitioned for the film’s release to be postponed until after the resolution of their criminal cases. Three of these petitioners are also being prosecuted in connection with the riots, while two others have lost family members to the violence.
Their legal representatives, advocates Mehmood Pracha and Jatin Bhatt, have stated that the film’s trailer presents a “distorted, erroneous, and false narrative” of the events surrounding the riots. They are seeking to have the film’s certification quashed by the CBFC.
Imam’s plea further highlighted concerns that the film’s portrayal of events might infringe upon his right to a fair trial and his right to reputation and dignity, especially since the film allegedly features a character closely representing him without any disclaimers about the ongoing legal processes or the pending charges.
