New Delhi, September 16: On Friday, the Supreme Court postponed making a decision on a petition by journalist Navika Kumar asking for the clubbing of several FIRs filed against her in connection with contentious comments made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma about the Prophet Mohammad (Saw) during a TV debate she moderated.
After hearing the arguments from all sides, a bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari, who had previously given interim protection to Kumar regarding the FIRs, said that it will issue orders.
“The argument was over. Reserving judgement, the bench declared.
Senior attorney Neeraj Kishan Kaul, who was representing Kumar in the outset, claimed that all the FIRs in the Nupur Sharma case had been transferred to Delhi and asked for the complaints to be combined and her case to be moved as well.
Although there was a danger perception, the top court claimed that the order in Sharma’s case was not based on merit and was instead made under exceptional facts and circumstances.
In his appearance on behalf of the Center, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the investigation should be conducted in the same state as in the Sharma case.
On August 8, the supreme court responded to Kumar’s petition for the revocation of actions taken against her by granting her temporary protection from arrest and sending letters to the government of West Bengal, the federal government, and others. During a TV debate, Sharma made a statement about the Prophet that sparked protests across the nation and infuriated many Gulf nations.
She was later expelled from the BJP.
In connection with the FIRs/complaints filed against Sharma in a number of States over comments she made about the Prophet on a TV debate show, the top court had granted temporary protection from arrest to Sharma in July.
Additionally, it had shielded her from any coercive action in any future FIRs or complaints filed or considered regarding the May 26 broadcast.
–(PTI)