HC asks Netflix to stop screening Indrani Mukerjea's series, CBI says it may affect investigation
Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth," the Bombay High Court on Thursday asked to stop screening and asked the streaming partner, Netflix to arrange a special screening for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers.
«Why should the CBI not be allowed to see the series. What is the difficulty in sharing the docu-series?» the court asked.
The series, based on the Sheena Bora case, was scheduled to be aired on Friday. Meanwhile, a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande have decided to hear the case next week, that is on February 29.
While an accused has rights, even the prosecution and victim in a case have rights, it noted. Senior counsel Ravi Kadam, appearing for Netflix, initially opposed and said this would amount to pre-censorship.
He added that the CBI ought to have moved the court against the series earlier and should not have waited till the last moment. The bench, however, said that the trial in the case was still ongoing and statements of witnesses are still being recorded. «It (release of the series) can be deferred for a week...Heavens are not going to fall,» the HC said.
The CBI had filed a petition in the high court, seeking a stay on its release till the trial in the case is complete, as the web series could affect the investigation of the case, its outcome and people's perception. According to the CBI, 89 witnesses out of 237 have been examined so far before the trial court.
The court on Thursday was also informed by Kadam that five witnesses have been
