Nupur Sharma row: SC dismisses plea seeking ex-BJP leader’s arrest over remarks on Prophet Muhammad

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the authorities to act and arrest former BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her alleged hate statement against Prophet Mohammad and hurting sentiments of the Muslim community.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit told petitioner Advocate Abu Sohel said that his plea looked innocuous but had far-reaching consequences. Sohel then withdrew his plea.

The advocate sought an urgent hearing of the case alleging that no action has been taken against Sharma by the police despite the complaint.

The plea has said that Sharma made vulgar remarks against Prophet Mohammad and the Muslim community, and hence it sought directions for an "independent, credible and impartial investigation" into the incident which may ensure her immediate arrest.

The plea sought immediate action against Sharma saying that her statements were violative of Articles 14, 15, 21, 26 and 29 of the Constitution and other fundamental rights.

"Sharma’s undesirable words have caused huge unrest and uproar in the country and across the globe and tarnished the image of our great nation," the lawyer said.

Sharma’s remarks created unjustifiable and illegal deviation from the intent of our Constitutional makers to create harmony among the religions and directly hit the core ethos of our nation which is founded on the basis of ‘secular’ ideas, added the plea.

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