HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has declined to grant interim relief seeking a stay on the release of singer and content creator Rahul Sipligunj’s upcoming web series Cult, which is slated for release on an OTT platform on January 17.
Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka, while considering the matter at the admission stage, observed that no case was made out for passing an immediate restraint order without hearing the opposite parties. Consequently, the Court refused to stay the release of the series at this stage.
The writ petition was filed by Uttam Valluri Chaudhary against the producer and director of the web series, along with social media intermediaries such as Meta Platforms, Instagram and Google Play. The petitioner alleged that the series contains objectionable material inspired by a pending criminal case.
According to the petitioner, the web series — earlier titled Madanapally Murders and subsequently renamed as Cult — amounts to a distorted and sensationalised portrayal of sub judice proceedings. It was contended that such depiction violates the Digital Media Ethics Code and provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, besides interfering with the due administration of justice.
After hearing the preliminary submissions, the Court issued notices to Rahul and the members of the production team to respond to the allegations. The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 20.
The Court made it clear that the issues raised would be examined in detail after hearing all parties concerned.
Court admits plea against sacking of sub-inspector
A division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin, has admitted a writ appeal filed by Padala Venkata Sadananda Bhavani Sen, a former sub-inspector of police, Kaleshwaram police station, challenging his dismissal from service, and adjourned the matter for eight weeks.
The appeal arises from the dismissal of the writ petition in which Bhavani Sen had assailed proceedings dated 19.06.2024 and 20.06.2024 issued by the IGP and the SP, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, dismissing him from service, and the appellate order dated 16.11.2024 passed by the DGP confirming the dismissal.
The petitioner contended that the dismissal was effected without issuing a charge memo or conducting a departmental enquiry, solely on the basis of registration of Crime No.42 of 2024 for offences. It was argued that there was no justification to dispense with inquiry and that the IGP was not the appointing authority.