JOIN USProphet remarks row: SC protects Nupur Sharma from coercive action
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that no coercive action can be taken against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in FIRs registered so far and also in cases, which could be lodged in future in connection with her remarks on Prophet Mohammed during a TV debate.
The order by the top court, which had earlier on July 1 declined to consider her similar plea, came as her counsel submitted that she faced real threat to her life and liberty.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala said, “Meanwhile, as an interim measure it is directed that no coercive action shall be taken against Nupur Sharma pursuant to the impugned FIRs”.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing Sharma, contended that new FIRs were being registered against her.
To this, the bench said, “No coercive action to be taken in present or future FIRs in relation to the same telecast."
Acting on Sharma's plea, the court issued notice to Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh police and others on Sharma’s plea for consolidation of multiple FIRs into one case at Delhi. The court put the matter for consideration on August 10.
In his submission, Singh said following the July 1 order, the petitioner has received fresh life threats and it is not possible for her to travel outside Delhi to pursue these cases.
The bench noted that the miscellaneous application filed by Sharma stated that after July 1 order of this court, various incidents, like threats have been made by one Salman Chishti claiming to be Khadim of Ajmer Dargah, who has called upon to cut her throat, and another by a man from Uttar Pradesh, who made a viral video threatening to behead her.
During the hearing, Singh cited an order by another bench of the top court, where it had granted an interim relief by staying similar FIRs. He also referred to new FIRs lodged in West Bengal and Kolkata, police issuing a lookout circular, which could impede any fair opportunity to her to approach different High Courts.
Sharma, in her fresh plea, sought stay on her arrest in nine FIRs lodged against her.
She contended that following the strong remarks against her by the top court earlier, she had received renewed rape and death threats.
Sharma sought a direction from the top court to transfer and consolidate all FIRs lodged against her at various places across the country to a case registered by the Delhi police.
On July 1, the top court had slammed Sharma, while hearing her plea to club multiple FIRs lodged against her, saying her "loose tongue has set the entire country on fire".
Sharma had then preferred to withdraw the petition.
She was suspended from BJP after her remark in the TV debate on May 27, which triggered international reactions and massive protests across the country.