Petition filed in court to stop streaming of lock up
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to ALTBalaji and its agents to stop airing and publishing the reality show “Lock Up” on OTT and social media platforms.
The petition challenges the order of the Telangana High Court which had quashed the ad hoc interim injunction given by the trial court against the release and publication of reality shows hosted by the Bollywood actor. Kangana Ranaut,
A bench of Justices MR Shah and BV Nagarathna observed that the show has already been telecast and granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the trial court for early hearing of his interim injunction application.
As the petitioner claimed that they came up with the story of “The Jail” and later, prepared a script with 22 personalities, the apex court said that the High Court has considered everything in detail and that at this stage Can’t ban the show.
Pointing out to the counsel for the petitioner that the first episode has already come up, the bench observed: “This petition is virtually fruitless.”
Senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, representing the petitioner, Prime Media, sought permission of the bench to withdraw the petition and submit an application for early hearing of the injunction application before the trial court.
“The petitioner can approach the lower court for speedy disposal of the petition,” the bench said. The petition was dismissed as withdrawn.
The trial court had, on February 23, granted an interim injunction adjourned for the release, display and publication of the series. However, the High Court overruled this order. Pride Media moved the apex court challenging the February 26 order of the High Court.
The High Court had noted that ALTBalaji had already produced the show and also spent on marketing the show, observing that the balance of convenience is in their favour.
The petitioner said that they filed the story with the Screen Writers’ Association, but due to the COVID restrictions and lockdown, they could not produce the show. And, “Locked Up” started streaming, as the petitioner was in the process of mobilizing the production of the show.