Criticism, expression of dissatisfaction permissible: HC on plea against Netflix series 'Sacred Games'

Criticism and expression of dissatisfaction were permissible and it did not want to curtail anyone's right, the Delhi High Court today observed, while hearing a plea claiming that some scenes in the Netflix series "Sacred Games" were derogatory to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and should be removed.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar was also informed by the counsel for Netflix that they, on their own, had changed a word in the English subtitles in the fourth episode of the series, which was allegedly derogatory.

The bench said that the clipping of the changed word be submitted to the court and it listed the matter for further hearing on August 6.

"Criticism or even expression of dissatisfaction is permissible. We don't think anybody could have objection to it," the bench said.

The court was hearing a plea filed by petitioner Nikhil Bhalla, through advocate Shashank Garg. It contended that the show, starring Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, "incorrectly depicts historical events of the country like Bofors case, Shah Bano case, Babri Masjid case and communal riots".

The court was also of a prima facie view that it could be a private injury and not a public injury and asked the petitioner to address it on point of maintainability of the plea as a public interest litigation (PIL).

The petitioner's counsel said Rajiv Gandhi was the former prime minister of the country and a Bharat Ratna awardee and the entire country was aggrieved with the scenes shown in the series which were allegedly derogatory.

The court observed, "It could be a private injury. It can't be a public injury. We don't think we can say that public injury is caused with it."