Plea in Supreme Court against FIRs, arrests over posters critical of PM Modi

A plea was filed on Monday in the Supreme Court for immediate direction to quash multiple FIRs registered by the Delhi police for putting up posters for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for exporting the Covid-19 vaccines.

At least 25 people were arrested by the police which granted them bail after initial questioning as provisions invoked in the matter were bailable.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AAP members had dared the police to arrest them too in their social media post.

On Monday, an advocate, Pradeep Kumar Yadav, filed the petition for quashing of these FIRs and sought a direction against the Commissioner of Police not to register any case in the matter.

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He said the top court had in a number of cases has held that freedom of speech and expression with regard to the public cause was a fundamental right of every citizen guaranteed under the Constitution.

He cited the Shreya Singhal case wherein the apex court set aside Section 66-A of the Information Technology (IT) Act and held that information sharing on social media does not constitute any criminal offence under the IT Act.

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He also pointed out the top court in a Suo Motu case recently also passed a specific direction to the States not to register any criminal case over the public seeking medical help in the social media.

He said a 19-year-old school dropout, a 30-year-old e-rickshaw driver, a 61-year-old maker of wooden frames were among the 25 people arrested by Delhi Police, in the middle of a raging pandemic.

The arrests from across the capital city started late on May 12 after the Special Branch informed Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava about the posters that read, “Modi ji hamare bachon ki vaccine videsh kyon bhej diya (Why did you send our children’s vaccines abroad?)"

Also read: Delhi Police arrests 15 people, lodges 17 FIRs over posters critical of PM Narendra Modi

The FIRs were lodged under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), and those under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act and Epidemic Act.