Supreme Court protects TV anchor Sudhir Chaudhary from arrest in Jharkhand FIR

The FIR was filed over allegedly objectionable remarks made by Chaudhary after the Enforcement Directorate arrested former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in January.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to TV news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary in connection with an FIR lodged in Ranchi for allegedly making objectionable remarks after former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in January.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing the journalist, submitted before a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that his client was facing the threat of arrest.

He argued that there was no offence under the SC/ST Act evident against him.

The FIR was filed against Chaudhary concerning his alleged remarks against the tribal community following Soren's arrest.

The bench remarked that the High Court should have provided protection in the matter.

The court ordered that pending further orders, no coercive steps should be taken against the petitioner. The apex court issued notices to the state police and others, including the complainant, regarding the plea filed by the news anchor.

A tribal group had lodged a police complaint under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him for his alleged remarks.

Chaudhary filed a special leave petition before the apex court, challenging the decision of the Jharkhand High Court, which declined to stay the proceedings against him.