Court lifts enjoining order on ‘Usaviya Nihandai’

The Colombo District Court today lifted the enjoining order imposed against the screening of ‘Usaviya Nihadai’ (Silence in the Courts), a documentary film by award winning Sri Lankan film director Prasanna Vithanage.

District Judge M.A. Gunawardena postponed the case till January 19, Ada Derana reporter said. 

When the case was taken up yesterday, the court stated that the decision on whether the enjoining order will be withdrawn or not will be announced today (21). 

The Colombo District Court issued the order, after a petition was filed against the film by former Magistrate Lenin Ratnayake.

The petitioner states that the film, which was scheduled to be screened at theaters starting from October 6, is based on a false news report which claims that he had sexually assaulted a woman and that the movie.

Therefore the former magistrate requested the court to issue an order preventing the screening of the film as it would cause defame to him and the country’s judicial system. 

On October 5, the district court initially issued the interim injunction effective till Wednesday (19). 

However, when the case was taken up on Wednesday the court postponed giving a decision till Thursday (20). 

The 57-minute documentary, screened last week at the India International Centre, Delhi, is based on the incident in June 1996 where a sitting Judicial Magistrate had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman.