HC seeks Centre, CBFC reply on plea to shelve film on northeast Delhi riots

The Delhi HC asked the Centre and CBFC to respond to a plea by student activist Sharjeel Imam and others for shelving the movie 2020 Delhi. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (January 30, 2025) asked the Centre and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to respond to a plea by student activist Sharjeel Imam and others for shelving the movie 2020 Delhi, reportedly based on northeast Delhi riots.

The court asked the Centre’s counsel to take instructions in the matter and posted the hearing on January 31. It also issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, CBFC, Delhi Police and director and producers of the movie.

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The movie is scheduled for release on February 2, three days before the Delhi Assembly elections.

Imam, facing prosecution in a February 2020 riots case, claimed that the posters and the promotional videos, including the teasers and trailers, intend to create a false narrative of a larger conspiracy behind the riots which took place in northeast Delhi and the events surrounding the incident.

He said charges were yet to be framed in the larger conspiracy case which was at a crucial stage of arguments on charge pending before a Delhi court. Imam’s bail plea is pending in the Delhi High Court.

Besides, Imam, five others filed a separate petition seeking to postpone the release of the film till the criminal cases allegedly involving some of them were adjudicated. Of the five, three face prosecution in the riots cases and two persons lost their family members in the violence.

The five petitioners, represented by advocates Mehmood Pracha and Jatin Bhatt, said the trailer of the movie 2020 Delhi was intended to present a distorted, erroneous, and false narrative of the events surrounding the riots.

They also sought the quashing of the film certification issued by the CBFC.

Imam’s plea claimed the creators of the film had intentionally and deliberately thwarted the legal processes that exist, ignored the constitutional framework and purposefully misrepresented the account of the alleged events that took place in Delhi during February 2020.

“Such a heavily biased narrative, as showcased in the trailer of the film, has the potential to prejudice not just the bail application of the petitioner that is pending before this court but the sessions trial which is yet to commence before the special court,” said his plea.

The plea further said the trailer featured a representation of the petitioner, showcased as the main character of the film, which could adversely affect his right to reputation and right to life with dignity. It said no disclaimers or caveats were issued by the filmmakers saying charges are yet to be framed or the matter is pending in the court.