The Supreme Court has granted protection from arrest to the Editor of OpIndia website, Nupur Sharma and the Chief Executive Officer Rahul Roushan for 4 weeks in a case registered against them.
A case was registered against the Editor of OpIndia website, Nupur Sharma and the Chief Executive Officer Rahul Roushan by the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly a fake story that was published by them on the torture of Bihari migrant workers in Tamil Nadu online.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said that for about a period of 4 weeks , no coercive action be taken against Sharma and Roushan.
However, the Court, very clearly said that it will not consider the request for quashing the case and the petitioners can approach the relevant jurisdictional High Court for the same.
The Court ordered that it cannot entertain the question of quashing, since petitioner has efficacious alternate remedy under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure. However it directed no coercive steps to be taken against petitioner for 4 weeks.
The Madras High Court had earlier granted anticipatory bail to Uttar Pradesh BJP Spokesperson and lawyer Prashant Patel Umrao in the same case against him by the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly spreading false information about attacks against Bihari migrant workers in the State.
The Supreme Court had extended the said order to all the FIRs registered against him in connection with the case.