Thursday, March 31 2005 18:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The Bombay high court today (Mar 31, 2005) stayed the release of film "Black Friday" until the judgement in the 1993 bomb blast case was delivered by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court.

Justice Hemant Gokhale gave this direction while allowing a petition filed by a group of 1993 bomb blast accused challenging the release of the film, which was based on their case.

The judge restrained the producers from releasing the film or exhibiting it anywhere in the country until the TADA court delivers its judgement in the 1993 bomb blast case.

Counsel for the producers Aspi Chenoy submitted that banning the film's release would amount to curbing freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution.

"Curbing of freedom of expression can be done only in case of eminent and present danger. It can not be done on presumption of far-fetched arguments," Chenoy argued.

Some of the bomb blast accused had moved the High Court stating that the release of the film before the trial court delivers judgement could prejudice the case.

Counsel for the accused P A Sebastian read out excerpts from the script of the film, which depicted all the accused as "terrorists and agents of ISI."

He said one of the accused Mustafa Moosa Tarani was shown in the film as planting bombs in scooters at Zaveri Bazar and at Worli in central Mumbai.