Delhi High Court restricts rights over Fanney Khan

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday "confirmed" its interim order restraining producer Vashu Bhagnani's company from publishing any public notices claiming rights in the movie Fanney Khan, starring Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, which is scheduled to be released on Friday.

Justice Pratibha M Singh passed the order after taking note of the Bombay High Court's August 1 "finding" that the plea by Bhagnani's company, Pooja Entertainment and Films Ltd, claiming to have paid substantial amounts for distribution rights of the movie was "dishonest" and a "false case". 

The court said that the Bombay High Court came to the conclusion that Pooja Entertainment had not paid any sum, as claimed, to Kriarj Entertainment Private Ltd for distribution rights of the film.

 "A party that does not come with clean hands deserves the same treatment," the Delhi High Court said on Thursday and added "in view of the findings of the Bombay High Court, injunction in favour of plaintiff (Super Cassettes) is confirmed". 

With the direction, the court listed the matter for further hearing on September 30. 

The order came on a plea of Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd (T- Series) which has said the public notices issued by Bhagnani's company claiming the rights in the film and calling upon the exhibition partners to refrain from dealing with anyone else are likely to have monetary impact on the movie’s distribution. 

The Delhi High Court had on July 10 in an interim order restrained Pooja Entertainment from issuing such notices and the order was confirmed on Thursday. 

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had paved the way for the film's release by refusing to stay its scheduled screening on August 3 on a plea by Pooja Entertainment claiming distribution rights of the movie were "surreptitiously" given to Super Cassettes. 

Pooja Entertainment claimed in the high court that the sole distribution rights for "Fanney Khan" was sold to it for a sum of Rs 10 crore, of which an amount of Rs 8.50 crore has been paid.