Advocate Advait Sethna for the CBFC told the court that its committee has reviewed the film as per Supreme Court directions and suggested certain changes.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Monday told the Bombay High Court that it is still considering the film Patnagarh, allegedly based on the February 2018 parcel bomb explosion case in Odisha, and has not granted certification to the film.

The CBFC made the submission before a bench of Justice A A Sayed and Justice Anuja Prabhudesai, responding to the plea filed by the wife of the main accused in the explosion case seeking to stay the film’s release.

Advocate Vinod Sangvikar for the petitioner submitted that the film produced by Sridhar Martha and directed by Rajesh Touchriver is set to be released on Friday.

However,

The regional officer in Mumbai has informed the producer and director of the movie about the same and the film cannot be released unless it obtains the CBFC certificate, Sethna said.

Soudamini Meher, petitioner and wife of Punjilal Meher, the main accused in the case, has filed a plea through advocate Vinod Sangvikar.

According to Soudamini’s plea, the film has minute details of the incident even though the trial in the case has not begun. “The trial is yet to begin but the movie attempts to convey the message of guilt of the petitioner’s husband in the minds of the society,” the plea stated.

On February 23, 2018, a powerful explosion took place at the residence of Soumya Shekhar Sahu at Patnagarh. The plea states that when Sahu opened a parcel, a powerful explosion took place and severely damaged the room. Sahu and his grandmother Jemamani died, while his wife Reema suffered grievous burn injuries.

The police arrested Punjilal two months after the incident as the main accused and said the crime was committed over rivalry over Sahu’s mother replacing Punjilal, an English professor, as the principal at Jyoti Vikash Junior College at Bhainsa.

The plea before the High Court also states that the film’s release will hamper the reputation of Soudamini’s family and affect their right to privacy as the film has been produced and is scheduled to be released without their due consent.

Soudamini has sought from the court to restrain the producer and director from releasing the film and also sought direction to the CBFC to withhold certification.

The bench issued a notice to the makers of the film to respond to the plea and posted the hearing after two weeks.