Apex court refuses to stop screening of 'Deshdrohi' in Maharashtra

New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday threw out a Maharashtra government's lawsuit seeking to stop the screening of film 'Deshdrohi', lampooning the sectarian politics of Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, in the state.

A bench of Justice S.B. Sinha and Justice Mukundkam Sharma dismissed Maharastra government's lawsuit saying that 'the Bombay High Court must have lifted the ban on release of the film after examining various pros and cons.'

Maharashtra government approached the apex court, challenging a Bombay High Court ruling, which had on Jan 9 scrapped a Nov 12 order banning the film in the state for two months.

The bench dismissed the fears of the State Intelligence Department which said 'the MNS workers have still not reconciled to their stand regarding son-of-the-soil versus outsiders.'

'There is every likelihood of MNS workers indulging in vandalism, if movie 'Deshdrohi' is screened in the theatres of the state,' said the intelligence report, but the bench dismissed the fears.

Film 'Deshdrohi' was made by O.K. International's owner Kamal R. Khan soon after the sectarian violence against north Indians, referred as 'Bhaiyya' in the state, gripped Maharashtra last year in September-October.

Appearing for the Maharashtra government, Solicitor General Goolam E. Vahanvati contended before the bench that the high court was not right in lifting the ban on the film, while questioning the veracity of the intelligence report.

The bench, however, did not pay heed to the government's senior law officer's argument.

Copyright  IANS

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