<p><span>The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended protection from arrest to senior journalist Vinod Dua till July 15 in a sedition FIR lodged by the police in Shimla in May over his YouTube show, critically analysing the Union government's decisions after Pulwama attack to lockdown.</span></p>.<p dir="auto">A bench of Justices U U Lalit, Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran directed the police to file status report in sealed cover in the matter, The court also made it clear that it would quash the criminal investigation if there was no merit, on the next date of hearing.</p>.<p dir="auto">The court also said questions like why did Dua, a journalist with 45-year experience rely upon another newspaper article to make his video, was not relevant in the investigation into the matter.</p>.<p dir="auto">Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Dua, contended that the way, his client was being questioned, was an outright harassment for exercising his constitutional right to freedom of speech. </p>.<p dir="auto">He cited instances of News 18's journalist Amish Devgan and OpIndia's editor Nupur J Sharma cases to point out the top court stayed probe into the FIR lodged against them.</p>.<p dir="auto">Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to the contentions that the stay orders on probe in FIRs in other cases were passed on basis of facts of the matter.</p>.<p dir="auto">The court asked the State police file a report on its investigation and put the matter for consideration on July 15.</p>.<p dir="auto">On June 14, the court allowed the police to interrogate Dua at his residence in Delhi on giving a prior notice of 24 hours, "keeping in mind the social distancing norms prescribed during Covid-19 pandemic".</p>.<p dir="auto">A BJP leader, Ajay Shyam filed a sedition complaint with Kumarsain police station in Shimla against Dua on May 6.</p>
<p><span>The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended protection from arrest to senior journalist Vinod Dua till July 15 in a sedition FIR lodged by the police in Shimla in May over his YouTube show, critically analysing the Union government's decisions after Pulwama attack to lockdown.</span></p>.<p dir="auto">A bench of Justices U U Lalit, Mohan M Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran directed the police to file status report in sealed cover in the matter, The court also made it clear that it would quash the criminal investigation if there was no merit, on the next date of hearing.</p>.<p dir="auto">The court also said questions like why did Dua, a journalist with 45-year experience rely upon another newspaper article to make his video, was not relevant in the investigation into the matter.</p>.<p dir="auto">Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Dua, contended that the way, his client was being questioned, was an outright harassment for exercising his constitutional right to freedom of speech. </p>.<p dir="auto">He cited instances of News 18's journalist Amish Devgan and OpIndia's editor Nupur J Sharma cases to point out the top court stayed probe into the FIR lodged against them.</p>.<p dir="auto">Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to the contentions that the stay orders on probe in FIRs in other cases were passed on basis of facts of the matter.</p>.<p dir="auto">The court asked the State police file a report on its investigation and put the matter for consideration on July 15.</p>.<p dir="auto">On June 14, the court allowed the police to interrogate Dua at his residence in Delhi on giving a prior notice of 24 hours, "keeping in mind the social distancing norms prescribed during Covid-19 pandemic".</p>.<p dir="auto">A BJP leader, Ajay Shyam filed a sedition complaint with Kumarsain police station in Shimla against Dua on May 6.</p>
