Tharoor, Journalists Booked For Tweets On R-Day Violence In Delhi Won't Be Arrested, For Now
The Supreme Court issued a stay order on the arrest of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, journalists including Rajdeep Sardesai for cases they have been booked for allegedly sharing unconfirmed news on the death of one of the protestors during the tractor march on Republic Day in New Delhi.
Kapil Sibal, senior lawyer appearing for Tharoor and Sardesai, sought an immediate stay on the arrest of his clients.
"We stay the arrest till we hear the matter further," the bench, comprising of Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian, said.
Notice to UP, MP, Haryana and others too
The apex court also issued a notice to the state of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and others, seeking replies in the registration of FIRs.
Solicitor General Tuhsar Mehta is appearing for Delhi Police and the cops of other states said that ¡°horrendous¡± tweets were made by the accused.
¡°Horrendous tweets have been made,¡± Mehta said, adding, ¡°I can show you what horrendous effect these tweets have with such lakhs of followers¡±.
On January 30, Delhi Police had filed a case against Tharoor, Sardesai and others.
Earlier, Tharoor and the six journalists were booked by Noida Police for alleged sedition, among other charges, over the violence during the farmers' tractor rally in Delhi, officials had said.
Madhya Pradesh Police had also filed a case against Tharoor and the six journalists over their alleged ''misleading'' tweets on the violence during the farmers' tractor rally in Delhi.
Tharoor has moved the apex court, challenging the registration of multiple FIRs against him for his tweet on the January 26 violence in Delhi.
They were booked after tweeting that one protester who was killed during the clashes on Republic Day was shot by police.
The police which rejected the allegation claimed that the death was the result of the protester's tractor overturned.
CCTV visuals from the spot, released by the police also showed the speeding tractor overturning.
On January 26, thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police in the national capital during the tractor rally called by the farmer unions to highlight their demand for the repeal of the three farm laws.
The, what was promised to be a peaceful tractor rally through designated routes turned chaotic after some of them broke off from the rally and rode through other roads.
They also clashed with police at many places and even stormed the Red Fort and other key locations resulting in absolute pandemonium.
