The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its judgment on a series of petitions challenging the release and trailer of the movie “2020 Delhi,” which is based on the riots that occurred in North-East Delhi in 2020.
The case was heard by a single-judge Bench of Justice Sachin Datta, who reserved the decision after hearing arguments in three petitions.
The first petition was filed by Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the riots, while the second was filed by fellow riot accused Tasleem Ahmed, Akil Ahmed, and Sonu, as well as riot victims Sahil Parvez and Mohd Sayeed Salmani. An independent candidate running in the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, Umang, also approached the High Court to challenge the film’s release.
Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing Tasleem Ahmed and others, argued that the film’s trailer violated Section 5(b) of the Cinematograph Act and the Contempt of Courts Act. He described the movie as an “iceberg,” with the trailer representing just the tip, and highlighted that the trailer claimed the film was inspired by the true events of the 2020 riots.
Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta, representing the film’s production house, countered that the petition was premature, as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had not yet issued a certificate for public screening. He assured the Court that the movie would not be screened in public or on social media until it had received certification.
