New Delhi : The Supreme Court has ordered to transfer of FIRs registered in various states against private channel anchor Navika Kumar, to the Delhi Police regarding remarks on Prophet Mohammad. The court directed Navika Kumar to approach the High Court to quash the FIR. A bench headed by Justice MR Shah has stayed the arrest of Navika Kumar for eight weeks.
The court had reserved the verdict on September 16. During the hearing, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Navika Kumar, had said that on August 10, the Supreme Court had ordered transfer of all FIRs registered against Nupur Sharma to Delhi. In the FIR registered against Nupur Sharma, all the accused are same and the facts are also the same, therefore, the relief given to Nupur Sharma should also be given to Navika Kumar.
The Supreme Court, on August 8, had granted an interim stay on the arrest of Navika Kumar. Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Navika Kumar, had said that the anchor did not say anything in the TV show about which the FIR has been registered. He said, when one side started speaking during the debate, the other side replied. During the debate, the anchor worked to resolve the dispute between the two sides. Several FIRs have been registered against the woman who gave the statement. Several FIRs have also been registered against the anchor. Five-six FIRs have been registered in West Bengal. The first FIR was registered in Delhi.
Rohatgi had said that the Delhi Police has also given security to the anchor. During the hearing, advocate Maneka Guruswamy, appearing for the West Bengal government, had said that the anchor has not put the correct FIR in the petition. Then Justice Krishna Murari asked whether it was not correct that multiple FIRs have been registered, to which Guruswami replied with a yes. Then Rohatgi had questioned as to what additional interest lies of the West Bengal government in this. Thereafter, the court gave an interim order to stay any preventive action against Navika Kumar. Mukul Rohatgi also sought a stay on the investigation in the FIR, then the court said that this order cannot be issued without hearing the defendant’s side.
The Supreme Court, on July 19, had stayed the arrest while giving relief to the suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma in the same case.