Bombay high court on Thursday refused to stay the scheduled March 19 release of actor John Abraham starring Mumbai Saga on a plea by incarcerated under trial accused gangsters Ravi Bohra alias D K Rao and Aswhin Naik and the widow and daughter of slain businessman and alleged gangster Amar Naik.

Rao and others had filed a petition against producers and makers of ‘Mumbai Saga’ and Central Board of film certification (CBFC). Their lawyers Prashant Pandey, Tushar Halwai and Ashray Dave sought a stay on its release arguing that it would violate their clients right to privacy and fair trial. A bench of Justices Amjad Sayed and Madhav Jamdar said the petitioners were coming to court at the “11th hour” and refused their plea for urgent ad-interim relief to stay the release.

The petition said the film would tarnish Amar Naik’s reputation as he had a vegetable vending business, was falsely implicated in several cases by business rivals and was never tried in any court

The petition said that the movie is based on and depicts the underworld gangster’s life. It added, though the film claims to be “inspired by true events” it violates Rao’s right to fair trial, the petitioners’ right to life and liberty and right to privacy which is guaranteed under the Constitution of India.

Rao and Naik both facing a case under Maharashtra control of organized crime Act (MCOCA) are lodged at Taloja prison. They said that they recently learnt through the media about the film ‘Mumbai saga’ which allegedly depicts their lives. They say their consent was not sought nor taken by the film makers and the film would “prejudice the trial’’ Rao and Naik face.

The release of the film “would prejudice witnesses’’ and “violate the sanctity of the judicial process’’ and is “contemptuous of the trial process” they claimed.