Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal murder accused moves SC seeking stay on release
Mohammed Javed, one of the accused who is alleged to have slit the throat of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur for supporting Nupur Sharma in the prophet Mohammed controversy says his right to fair trial may be affected if the movie is released;
The upcoming film “The Udaipur Files: Kanhaiyalal Tailor Murder”, slated for release on 11 July 2025, has drawn sharp legal opposition, with multiple petitions filed in both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court seeking to halt its screening.
One of the accused in the Udaipur murder case, Mohammed Javed, has filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court, raising concerns over the film’s potentially prejudicial impact on the fairness of his trial. Javed has sought a stay on the release, arguing that the film portrays events in a manner that is communal, inflammatory, and likely to bias public opinion while judicial proceedings are still underway.
The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has also approached the Delhi High Court, urging an immediate stay on the film’s release. The organisation contends that the movie revives Nupur Sharma’s controversial remarks, which had sparked widespread communal unrest in 2022, including the brutal killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiyalal. The Jamiat argues that the film is likely to disturb public order and re-ignite communal tensions.
The petitioner claims that the film violates the principle of sub judice, and its theatrical release would infringe upon his fundamental right to a fair trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The courts are expected to hear both petitions this week, just ahead of the scheduled release date of the film.