Delhi HC also refuses to stay release of 'Nanak Shah Fakir'

Pic Courtesy: Movie Still

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today refused to stay the release of movie 'Nanak Shah Fakir', scheduled to hit the theatres from tomorrow, saying the petition was motivated after the Supreme Court refused to grant any relief.

The High Court said it was unbelievable that the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), which has filed the petition challenging the no objection certificate issued by the Censor Board, was not aware of the making of film till now.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the "release of the film cannot be interdicted".

The court directed the Centre to ensure maintenance of law and order and made it clear that it was not granting any ex-parte relief to DSGMC without hearing the film producer.

The petition challenged the release of the movie saying it has characterised the family members of Guru Nanak Dev with humans/actors which is against the principles of Sikh religion.

Earlier, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today made two unsuccessful attempts in the Supreme Court to stall the film's release tomorrow.

The SGPC made two pleas, one in the morning and then in the afternoon, before the apex court which rejected both of them.

The top court had on April 10 criticised the SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, for imposing restrictions on the film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' and cleared the decks for its nationwide release scheduled on April 13.

It had said that after the CBFC certification, no group, body, association or individual can create any kind of disturbance in exhibition of the film.