Satluj dispute: PIL in Punjab and Haryana High Court demands reinstatement of film on Zee5
A PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought reinstatement of Satluj from ZEE5 after its removal. The petition questions the absence of any manifest order and raises concerns over free speech and due process.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court demanding the restoration of SatlujThe film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was removed from OTT platform ZEE5 just two days after its release.
The petition filed by Shravan Singh under Article 226 of the Constitution has named the Central Government, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Punjab Government, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited and Zee5 as respondents. It alleges that the film was removed without any statutory, judicial or government order being given to the public, thereby violating the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression as well as the public’s right to access information.
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The petitioner has urged the High Court to direct ZEE5 to immediately restore the film across India and disclose any legal, statutory or judicial order, if any, due to which it has been removed.
According to the petition, the original title of the film Punjab ’95 Before being released as Satluj On July 3, 2026, it was removed from the platform on July 5, with Zee5 reportedly citing only “current circumstances” without mentioning any legal or government directive.
The petition states that Satluj It describes the life and work of Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed alleged illegal cremations carried out during the insurgency era of Punjab. It has been argued that the events depicted in the film are already part of the public record, which have been examined by the Supreme Court, other courts, CBI, National Human Rights Commission and other official bodies. Thus, the petition argues that the film does not highlight any confidential or prohibited material but presents judicially documented events in a cinematic format.
The PIL further argues that removing a film without following due process would be contrary to the rule of law. It also argues that the removal affects the rights of customers who paid to access content that is legitimately available on the platform.
The petitioner has sought directions for immediate restoration of the film, disclosure of the reasons for its removal and safeguards to ensure that future removal of certified material is done only in accordance with due process of law.
The case is expected to be listed for hearing before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.