NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre on a plea seeking a ban on a web series purportedly based on slain gangster Vikas Dubey. Justice Sachin Datta issued notice on the petition filed by Dubey’s wife, seeking to stop the release and streaming of UP 77, scheduled for December 25.
The petition claimed the web series was an unauthorised biographical depiction containing sensationalised and defamatory content that could cause irreparable harm to Dubey’s wife, Richa. It stated that the producers were portraying intimate aspects of the petitioner’s marital and personal life without her consent. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.
Vikas Dubey, the main accused in the alleged killing of eight police personnel, was gunned down by the Uttar Pradesh police in an encounter on July 10, 2020. The encounter occurred while he was being brought to Kanpur from Ujjain.
The petition added, “Respondent no. 2 and 3 (Waves OTT and Director OTT services) are producing a cinematographic film titled UP 77, based on the real life of petitioner’s deceased husband without her consent. Its release contains dramatised, sensationalised, and defamatory content and would cause irreparable harm to the petitioner.”