SC stays arrest of Tharoor, Sardesai
New Delhi: In a major relief to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists, including Rajdeep Sardesai, the Supreme Court has stayed their arrest in connection with the FIRs lodged against them for their allegedly “misleading” tweets on the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally on the Republic Day.
New Delhi, Feb. 9: In a major relief to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists including Rajdeep Sardesai, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed their arrest in connection with the FIRs lodged against them for their allegedly “misleading” tweets on the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally here on the Republic Day.
The apex court, in the proceedings lasting five minutes, granted protection from any possible coercive action by police of states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka to Tharoor as also Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Vinod K Jose and Anant Nath.
Issue notice returnable in two weeks. In the meantime, there shall be stay of arrest of the petitioners, the bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde noted in its order after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the lawmaker from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, expressed the looming danger of danger arrest.
When the bench said it was issuing notice in the matter, Sibal vehemently pleaded that an order with an effect that no coercive action be taken against them in the meantime be also passed.
Nothing is going to happen. Where is the danger, said the bench, also comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian.
Mr Sibal objected and said Solicitor General Tuhsar Mehta is appearing for Delhi Police and the cops of other states might knock at my doors and arrest me in the meantime .
“Kindly protect us in the meanwhile,” Sibal said, prompting the bench to ask the law officer whether the police was planning to arrest Mr Tharoor and others.
Mr Mehta, seeking to argue the case on Wednesday, alleged: Horrendous tweets have been made, the law officer said, adding, I can show you what horrendous effect these tweets have with such lakhs of followers .
The bench asked Mehta, Are you going to arrest them? .
The solicitor general said, I am before your lordships. Please hear it tomorrow .