The Supreme Court Thursday refused to ban the release of Bhojpuri film "Deshdrohi", which allegedly depicts Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's stand against north Indians, in Maharashtra.

A bench of Justices B.N. Agrawal and G.S. Singhvi refused to prevent the release of "Deshdrohi", which is scheduled for Friday.

The bench added that it will hear the Maharashtra government's plea for a ban on Friday.

The state government moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Jan 9 Bombay High Court order which had scrapped the ban on the film.