The Supreme Court on Monday extended by four weeks, the interim protection from arrest granted to an Advocate, who was booked under charges of sedition and conspiracy to wage war against India for accompanying a fact-finding team to Manipur, which came to investigate the incidents of ethnic violence going on in the state.
The Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud further granted liberty to petitioner Deeksha Dwivedi to approach the High Court.
Appearing for the Advocate, Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave contended that she was a lawyer from Allahabad.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that if the lawyer could go and give speeches in Manipur, incite violence in the state, then she could certainly go to the High Court.
The Apex Court then extended the interim protection from arrest to Dwivedi and granted her liberty to appear online for the case.
Earlier on July 14, the Apex Court had extended till July 17, the interim protection granted to an Advocate, who was booked under charges of sedition and conspiracy to wage war against India for accompanying a fact-finding team to Manipur, which came to investigate the incidents of ethnic violence going on in the state.
The order was passed by the Bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Manoj Misra on a petition filed by Advocate Deeksha Dwivedi.
An FIR was registered against the lawyer by Manipur police after she took part in a fact-finding mission regarding Manipur violence and also for attending a press conference as part of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW)
The matter could not be heard today due to the absence of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the state of Manipur in the case.
Noting the absence of the SG, CJI Chandrachud told Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, counsel of the petitioner, that the Apex Court can extend the interim protection till the next date of hearing and give him liberty to approach the High Court.
Dave, however, apprised the Apex Court that the High Court was shut for the present time, adding that the interim stay was only till 5 pm today.
The CJI then listed the matter for further hearing on Monday and also extended the interim order till July 17.
On July 11, CJI Chandrachud had granted interim protection from arrest to Dwivedi, who had accompanied a two-woman team from the National Investigation Forum for Women (NIFW) as an independent lawyer and observer in Manipur.
The NIFW, during the investigation, reported that the violent incidents going on in Manipur were ‘state-sponsored’. The Forum further held a press conference on July 1, revealing the findings of its probe to the media.
Following the conference, Manipur Police registered a first information report (FIR) against Dwivedi and NIFW representatives on July 8.
Dwivedi contended in her petition that though she accompanied the team, she had not signed the NIFW press release.
(Case Title: Deeksha Dwivedi vs The State Of Manipur And Anr)