PIL In Allahabad High Court Seeks Ban On 'Dhurandhar 2' For Allegedly Depicting 'R&AW' Plotting Atiq Ahmad's Killing

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea has been moved before the Allahabad High Court seeking a ban on the recently released Hindi movie 'Dhurandhar The Revenge' across the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The plea alleges that the move 'illegally' portrays the murder of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad as a sovereign act orchestrated by Indian intelligence.

The PIL plea, filed by the NGO Kaya Mati through its president, Saima Khan Advocate, seeks the quashing of the censor certificate issued to the movie and a complete ban on its exhibition across the state and on OTT platforms.

Hearing the PIL plea recently, a bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai noted that the allegations in the PIL are unsubstantiated and no material is available to verify them.

Consequently, the bench granted the petitioner two weeks to file supplementary material in support of the claims made by him in the present petition.

It may be noted that the PIL plea asserts that the movie, which claims to be based on true events, depicts the Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) taking responsibility for Ahmad's murder. The petitioner argues that such a portrayal is absolutely illegal, as his murder case is presently sub judice and the accused facing a trial.

"...the movie, which claims to be based on a true event, gives a Conclusion to the viewer that this killing is a sovereign act which renders the movie incapable of release," the PIL plea states as it seeks a deletion of the real footage of Ahmad's murder.

Furthermore, the plea states that the members of the NGO were 'astonished' to note that an exact replica of video footage of the killing of Ahmad was integrated in the movie, and it also contains a scene wherein it was shown that the Indian Government is applauding the act of his killing.

Advocate Vishal Verma appeared for the petitioner. Additional Chief Standing Counsel for the State Respondents. Advocate Ashwani Kumar Singh, filed his memo of appearance on behalf of the opposite parties no.1 &2.