Tripura violence: SC slams police for sending notices despite its order

SC pulls up Tripura Police on sending notice to petitioners despite its order

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday pulled up the Tripura police for sending notices to people for posts on social media over the alleged October, 2021 communal violence, despite its interim order restraining the state authorities.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant warned the counsel representing the state government that if Tripura police continue to harass people, then the court will summon the home secretary and the superintendent of police (SP).

Also read: PIL petitioners selectively outraged over violence in state, Tripura tells SC

The bench said the court had already passed an order in the matter and it should be implemented.

“At least show deference to our order when we have handled an issue," the bench told the Tripura government counsel, adding that the SP should be informed about it.

“Why should somebody be required to run to the Supreme Court? What else is this if this is not harassment," the bench asked the counsel.

Journalist Samiullah Shabbir Khan questioned before the top court a notice issued by police seeking his appearance under Section 41A (Notice of appearance before police officer) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Advocate Sharukh Alam, representing Khan, submitted that the court had on January 10 passed an interim order restraining the police from acting against the journalist’s tweets.

"We will call SP to court and make him answerable, if we find he’s trying to evade compliance by issuing notices to the people," the bench told the Tripura government counsel, when he asked the court to adjourn the matter for two weeks.

"Once we have passed an order covering the issue you must show responsibility,” it said.

At the end of the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared and assured the bench that he will look into the matter and the sanctity of the court’s orders would be ensured in letter and in spirit.

On January 10, the apex court had restrained Tripura Police from acting on its notice to Twitter Inc in connection with a journalist's tweet about alleged communal violence in the state.

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