MUMBAI: If not punitive action, Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav's supporters have at least managed a temporary stay on the telecast of Ramkhilavaan CM n family the Sabe TV spoof that the channel vociferously maintains is not intended to be a spoof on the former Bihar chief minister.

Patna's chief judicial magistrate on Monday temporarily stayed the telecast of the controversial serial till 27 August. The order was reportedly faxed to the producers to ensure that Monday's episode too was not telecast. The order was faxed to SAB Network chairman cum MD Gautam Adhikari, who is among the eight accused for bringing 'bad repute' to Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Yadav, his chief minister wife Rabri Devi and his family.

The magistrate has directed SAB to reply within a week, stating reasons why the telecast should not be permanently stopped, media reports from the Bihar capital say. The magistrate also turned down the company's petition seeking three weeks' time to approach the Supreme Court for hearing all petitions filed in this respect, reports say.

The magistrate however felt that the producers be given another chance to submit their side of the case so that the case, filed by one Radha Raman Pradhan, could be adjudged on its merits, the reports added. The Adhikari Brothers had failed to respond to the court's show cause notice returnable by 17 August and have filed their own petition seeking a hearing outside Bihar. 

While maintaining that the serial was indeed derogatory prima facie, the court said that it would decide on ordering a permanent stay after hearing the replies from the defendants.