Mumbai police drops charges against Mehak Mirza Prabhu in 'Free Kashmir' poster case

The Mumbai police on Tuesday dropped charges against Mehak Mirza Prabhu for allegedly showing the 'Free Kashmir' poster during an anti-CAA-NPR-NRC protest at the Gateway of India in January 2020.

The Mumbai police has filed a ‘C Summary’ report in the case.

A ‘C-Summary’ report is filed before a Magistrate’s court when the case is neither true nor false, or, when the criminal case was filed due to a mistake of facts or the offence complained about is of a civil nature.

During the protests in Mumbai that coincided with protests in Delhi, Mehak, a professional storyteller, raised a ‘Free Kashmir’ banner, leading to a furore on social media.

The Mumbai Police had filed an FIR against her under Section 153 B of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with “….imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration”. Mehak's statement was also recorded at the Colaba police station.

Soon after the development, the BJP launched a massive attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

“Mehak Mirza Prabhu defies the unity and integrity of our country and Thackeray sarkar files closure report against her. An act of treason is no offence, says Thackarey sarkar,” BJP leader and lawyer Vivekanand Gupta said.

BJP leader Ram Kadam said that the police was forced to register the case after BJP protested. “The Maharashtra government that comprises three parties (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) will never be forgiven by the people of the country,” he said.