Patna: The lingering controversy over noted film-maker Prakash Jha's movie 'Gangajal' appeared to be coming to an end, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) worker who had on September 1 moved the Patna High Court seeking a ban on the film, on September 2 withdrawing his petition and the director arriving in Patna on September 3 for a special screening of the film for RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav and Chief Minister Rabri Devi.

An RJD activist Dev Jyoti, who had filed the petition seeking immediate ban on the screening of the film for allegedly tarnishing the image of Chief Minister Rabri Devi's legislator brother Sadhu Yadav, withdrew his petition after a brief hearing in the court of Justice R N Prasad.

Petitioner's counsel Ganesh Prasad Singh sought permission of the court to withdraw the petition, as his client did not want to pursue it, which the judge allowed. The petition is dismissed as withdrawn, the judge said in his brief order.

Dev Jyoti later said he decided to withdraw his petition after he had a telephonic talk with Jha, who invited him to see the movie and convinced him that the villain of the film named Sadhu Yadav had no likeness with the real life MLA brother of the Chief Minister.

The petition had alleged that the movie was a direct invasion of Article 21 (right to live with dignity) with the purpose of tarnishing the legislator's image and sought the court's direction for banning the screening of the movie with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, Jha said he was arriving in the state capital on September 3 to meet RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav and the Chief Minister to seek appointment for the special screening of the film.

PTI