SC AGREES TO HEAR PLEA BY YOUTUBER MANISH KASHYAP CHALLENGING MULTIPLE FIRS

The Supreme Court in the case observed and has agreed to hear the matter on April 10 in a plea moved by one Youtuber named Manish Kashyap, wherein challenging multiple FIRS which are lodged against Kashyap for allegedly spreading disinformation concerning violence against Bihari migrant workers in the State of Tamil Nadu.

The bench comprising of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala was hearing the present matter.

The bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud in the case agreed to consider the matter at the end of the board when the case was mentioned before the court by the counsel. The counsel appearing before the court submitted that the National Security Act has now been invoked against the petitioner. The counsel stated that NSA has been imposed on me apart from multiple FIRS, I have not even supplied the copy of NSA.

It has also been submitted by the counsel, Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu that Manish Kashyap was in custody after the remand order against him was passed by the Magistrate. Adding to it, the bench of CJI DY Chandrachud remarked that if the petitioner is in custody as per the judicial orders, then the same will be difficult for the courts to entertain the writ petition. Further, the Bihar Police’s economic offences unit, EOU arrested Kashyap after he being surrendered at Jagdishpur police station on March 18 in relation to the case. Therefore, Kashyap had also had shared videos of migrant workers allegedly being attacked in Tamil Nadu on social media, the said videos were debunked as fake by fact checkers and the police department. The counsel appearing for the petitioner informed the court that over the same issue the another bench of the Court granted relief to another accused in an FIR. Kashyap was referring to petition moved by Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prashant Umrao, wherein the bench comprising of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Pankaj Mithal issued notice and modified the condition which is imposed by the Madras High Court wherein he is required to appear before the police for 15 days. Thus, the Supreme Court in the case observed and has also passed an ad interim order that the anticipatory bail granted by the High Court to him, the same would be applicable to any other FIRS registered in the state of Tamil Nadu in relation to the same cause of action.

The counsel, Advocate Aditya Singh Deshwal, Advocate Ms Ridam Arora and Advocate Anant Prasad Mishra appeared for petitioner.