SC restrains HP police from arresting journalist Vinod Dua

NEW DELHI: In a relief to senior journalist Vinod Dua, the Supreme Court in a special hearing on Sunday restrained the Himachal Pradesh police from arresting him till “further orders” in a sedition case filed against him by a local BJP leader over his YouTube show.

The top court, however, refused to stay the ongoing probe and said Dua will have to join the investigation “through videoconferencing or online mode” as offered by him in his response to the summons issued by the police seeking his personal appearance.

“Pending further orders, the petitioner (Dua) shall not be arrested in connection with the present crime,” a bench of Justices U U Lalit, M M Shantanagoudar and Vineet Saran said while issuing notices to the Centre and the state government for July 6, the next date of hearing.

“However, the petitioner (Dua) in terms of the offer , shall extend full cooperation through videoconferencing or online mode; and the HP police shall be entitled to carry on the investigation ,” the bench said.