- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C M JOSHI WRIT PETITION NO. 27215 OF 2025 (C-PIL) BETWEEN: 1. SYEDA NEELUFUR D/O SYED AFSAR AGED ABOUT 27 YEARS #74, 5TH CROSS, C STREET VISHAL ENGLISH SCHOOL MANJUNATH NAGAR BENGALURU SOUTH KARNATAKA - 560 026 …PETITIONER (BY SRI KALEEMULLAH SHARIFF, ADVOCATE FOR SRI HUSSAIN MUEEN FAROOQ, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH SECRETARY MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING ROOM No.552, A-WING SHASTRI BHAWAN DR. RAJENDRA PRASAD ROAD NEW DELHI - 110 001 2. CENTRAL BOARD OF FILM CERTIFICATION (CBFC) THROUGH ITS REPRESENTATIVE FILMS DIVISION COMPLEX PHASE-I BUILDING, 9TH FLOOR Digitally signed by AMBIKA H B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 DR. G. DESHMUKH MARG MUMBAI - 400 026 3. CENTRAL BOARD OF FILM CERTIFICATION (CBFC) THROUGH ITS REPRESENTATIVE NO. 36. D-WING, 4TH FLOOR KENDRIYA SADAN KORAMANGALA BENGALURU - 560 034 4. GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA THROUGH ITS HOME SECRETARY NO.327, 3RD FLOOR VIDHANA SOUDHA BENGALURU - 560 001 5. DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE AND INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE NO. 2, POLICE HEADQUARTERS NRUPATHUNGA ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001 6. COMMISSIONER OF POLICE NO.1, INFANTRY ROAD BENGALURU - 560 001 7. GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS HOME SECRETARY 2ND FLOOR, MADAM CAMA MARG HUTATMA RAJGURU CHOWK MANTRALAYA MUMBAI - 400 032 8. DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE STATE POLICE HEADQUARTERS OLD COUNCIL HALL SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH MARG MUMBAI - 400 001 9. COMMISSIONER OF POLICE CRAWFORD MARKET - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 LOKMANYA TILAK ROAD POLICE COLONY DHOBI TALAO CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS AREA, FORT MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA - 400 001 10. BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA NO. 21, ROUSE AVENUE INDUSTRIAL AREA NEAR BAL BHAVAN NEW DELHI - 110 002 11. KARNATAKA STATE BAR COUNCIL OLD ELECTION COMMISSION BUILDING DR. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI BENGALURU - 560 001 12. BAR COUNCIL OF MAHARASHTRA AND GOA 2ND FLOOR, HIGH COURT EXTENSION DR. KANE ROAD MANTRALAYA FORT MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA - 400 032 13. MR. AKSHAY KUMAR @ RAJIV HARIOM BHATIA S/O LATE HARIOM BHATIA ACTOR, NO. 11 JUHU TARA ROAD JUHU, MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA - 400 049 14. MR. ARSHAD WARSI @ ARSHAD KHAN @ ARSHAD WARSI KHAN ACTOR S/O SH. AHMED ALI KHAN 'JALSA' B/2, KAPOL HOUSING SOCIETY VL MEHTA ROAD JUHU, MUMBAI MAHARASHTRA - 400 049 - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 15. MR. SUBHASH KAPOOR S/O SH. P.L. KAPUR DIRECTOR SUBHASH KAPOOR PRODUCTIONS PVT. LTD. NO. C-61/62, SHRAVASTI CHS LTD. LINK ROAD, MALAD (WEST) MUMBAI - 400 064 MAHARASHTRA 16. FOX STAR STUDIOS PRODUCERS, STAR HOUSE URMI ESTATE, 95 GANPATRAO KADAM MARG LOWER PAREL (WEST) MUMBAI - 400 013 …RESPONDENTS (SRI. SHANTHI BHUSHAN H., DSGI FOR RESPONDENT No.1 SMT.NILOUFER AKBAR, ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE FOR RESPONDENT NOS.4 TO 6) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 CONSTITUTUION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT/ORDER/DIRECTION IN THE NATURE OF WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS No.1 TO 3 TO RE-EXAMINE AND RE-SCRUTINIZE THE FILM "JOLLY LLB 3" BY REMOVING THE OBJECTIONABLE PARTS OF THE FILM AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C M JOSHI ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, praying to direct respondent Nos.1 to 3 to re-examine and re-scrutiny the film "Jolly LLB 3" and to remove certain parts from the cinematographic film, as depicted in the teaser, which the petitioner finds are objectionable. The petitioner has set out certain dialogues from the teaser which reflect a court room scene. 2. It is obvious that the teaser released by the producer depicts a court room scene. However, it is clear that the producer seeks to address a sense of humour to the audience. It is not a ground to stifle the creativity or issue an order for censoring the same. 3. We find that the present public interest litigation is an unjustifiable imposition on judicial time and it does indicate that the petitioner has filed the same seeking publicity. We, accordingly, dismiss the same by imposing costs quantified at `50,000/- to be deposited with the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, within a period of two weeks from date. - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:37270-DB WP No. 27215 of 2025 4. We further direct that if the proof of the cost is not deposited with the Registry of this Court, the Registry shall place the present petition for the purpose of instituting coercive steps. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C M JOSHI) JUDGE AHB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 13