Delhi HC issues notice on plea to stop release of ‘UP 77’ web series allegedly based on gangster Vikas Dubey

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the Centre and web series producers on a plea by the wife of slain gangster Vikas Dubey to stop the release and streaming of 'UP 77', which she claimed is based on his life.

The web series is scheduled to be released on the Waves OTT platform on December 25.

Justice Sachin Datta issued notice on Richa Dubey's petition, which claimed the web series is an unauthorised biographical depiction containing sensationalised and defamatory content that would cause irreparable harm to her, and listed the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

Dubey was gunned down by the Uttar Pradesh police in an encounter on July 10, 2020. According to the state police, the gangster, who was the main accused in the killing of eight police personnel, was being brought to Kanpur from Ujjain, where he had surrendered, when he allegedly attempted to flee after the vehicle carrying him overturned.

His wife urged the high court to stay the release of the movie. The court, however, said it would hear the parties on Wednesday and take a decision.

In the morning, the plea was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya seeking an urgent listing. The bench allowed it to be listed during the day itself.

During the hearing before Justice Datta, the counsel for petitioner Richa Dubey, wife of Vikas Dubey, said she recently came to know about the web series which, she claimed, is based on her personal life as well as on the life of her deceased husband.

On being asked by the judge as to how the petitioner knows that the web series is based on her husband, the lawyer said the pictures and visuals uploaded on social media are of the alleged encounter incident which made it clear that it is on Dubey.

The petition said, “Respondent no. 2 and 3 (Waves OTT and Director OTT services) are producing a cinematographic film titled ‘UP 77’, the story behind India’s most talked about encounter purportedly based on the real life of the petitioner’s deceased husband Vikas Dubey and intimate aspects of the petitioner’s marital and personal life without her consent.” It claimed the web series "is an unauthorised biographical depiction, containing dramatised, sensationalised and defamatory content and its release would cause irreparable harm to the petitioner".

The petitioner sought protection of her right to privacy, dignity, reputation and personality rights. PTI SKV RT