HC declines to stay Dera chief's movie

Punjab and Haryana High Court today declined to stay the screening of movie 'Messenger of God', featuring Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
The division bench of Justices S K Mittal and Deepak Sibal fixed March 3 as the next date of hearing on the petition, filed by Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda.
The court declined to give a stay on the petition, seeking the quashing of the order of Mumbai-based Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) which had set aside the ban imposed by the Central Board of Film Certification on public exhibition of 'Messenger of God'.

"Our petition was filed against the FCAT order for the release of the movie itself which is being illegal and against the provisions of the Cinematography Act," said the petitioner's counsel Loveleen Dhaliwal while demanding that the FCAT order be quashed.
She further said that the release of the movie could create law and order problem.
A Mohali-based Kalgidhar Sevak Jatha had already filed a petition against the movie in the High Court and its hearing was also fixed for March 3.
The movie is set for release tomorrow.