Former dacoits challenge screening of movie

The Allahabad High Court today appointed two lawyers as court commissioners to watch Hindi movie "Beehad - the ravine", scheduled for release tomorrow, and give their opinion whether it violated the right to privacy of some former dacoits who have sought a ban on its screening.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Sunil Ambwani and Justice Bharat Bhushan appointed senior counsel Dinesh Kakker and Ramesh Upadhyay as commissioners of the court with the direction that they "submit a report to the court as to whether there is any similarity in the life story of the petitioners, which they have set out in the writ petition, and the film".

"They may also submit their opinion whether the exhibition of the life story the characters in the film is objectionable or may invade the right of privacy of the petitioners", the court added.
Fixing March 11 as the next date of hearing in the matter, the court, however, added "sufficient material has not been placed before us to find out whether the exhibition of the film will invade the right of privacy of the petitioners.
"At present, there are only apprehensions on which we do not propose to pass any order to stop the exhibition of the film".
The petition has been filed by ex-dacoits Renu Yadav, Kusuma Nain, Sarla Jatav, Ram Asre, Arvind Gujjar and Ramveer Gujjar.

Based on the dacoits of Chambal ravine, the movie's cast includes reformed brigands Maan Singh and Mangal Singh who play roles themselves.