On Monday, April 27, 2026 the Delhi High Court stopped hearing Bishnoi’s complaint about the ZEE5 series, because the central government had advised ZEE5 against showing it. The court explained the program can’t come out unless those government instructions are cancelled. And Bishnoi could start a new lawsuit if the content is shown in a different form.
What the court decided
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, the single judge, said the lawsuit has nothing left to it because of the government’s advice. He said the people making the docuseries likely won’t be able to show it as long as the government’s advice is still in effect.
Bishnoi’s lawyers were worried the show might be shown with the characters’ names changed, or in some other adjusted way. The court said Bishnoi can then try to do something about it. As the court said to Bishnoi’s lawyer, he can “always come back” at that point, but “today unless the advisories are set aside, they can’t release.”
The judge decided the reason for Bishnoi’s original lawsuit is now no longer valid. The case is closed, but Bishnoi is allowed to get involved in or do whatever else is needed in the lawsuit that’s challenging the government’s instructions.
Centre’s advisories and jurisdiction questions
The court was told that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued three instructions on April 23 and 24. These led ZEE5 to stop planning to show the program.
The lawyer for ZEE5 said they are challenging those instructions in a proper court. He told the judge they are going to the Punjab and Haryana High Court because the instructions came about from information from the Punjab Police.
ZEE5 also questioned whether the Delhi High Court was the right place to hear this case. But, because of the government’s actions, ZEE5 said Bishnoi’s lawsuit is now pointless, even if you ignore the question of where the case should be heard.
Key takeaways from the order
The court summed up its position in clear terms. The following points capture the operative directions and observations:
– Advisories currently prevent any release of the docuseries
– The petition has been rendered infructuous by events
– Liberty granted to intervene in advisory challenges
– All contentions are left open by the court
– The petition stands disposed of on this basis
Implications for the docuseries
So, the court’s decision means ‘Lawrence of Punjab’ won’t be on ZEE5 unless the government’s instructions are cancelled. The court also said, as it wrote down, the makers of the program might not be able to go ahead with it while the instructions are in place.
Bishnoi’s lawyer had mentioned that they might get around the problem by changing names or how the show is presented. The court made it clear that Bishnoi could then take proper legal action.
What lies ahead
What happens next will probably depend on ZEE5’s challenge to the government’s instructions. The Delhi High Court said Bishnoi can try to get involved in that case and make his complaints there.
For the time being, the argument has moved from whether a particular show will be shown, to whether the government’s instructions are legal. Eventually, whether the docuseries will be shown at all will depend on the result of ZEE5’s challenge to the instructions.
