SC stays arrest of Cong MP Shashi Tharoor, six journalists in sedition case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the arrest of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and six senior journalists in connection with FIR's registered against them for allegedly sharing unconfirmed news on the death of a protester after violence broke out in Delhi on Republic Day during the tractor rally.

The apex court's order comes as a big relief for Tharoor and others who were booked by the Noida police for sedition, among other charges. An FIR against them was registered at the Sector 20 police station on a resident's complaint who alleged that "digital broadcast" and "social media posts" by these people led to the violence in Delhi during the tractor rally on Republic Day.

The senior journalists named in the FIR are - Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Mrinal Pande and Anant Nath. An unidentified person was also named in the FIR. 

The FIR was lodged under sections 124A (sedition), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), of the Indian Penal Code.

The Madhya Pradesh police has also registered a case against Tharoor and six journalists for misleading tweet on violence.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court last week declined to entertain the petitions regarding violence in Delhi during the Tractor Rally on Republic Day 2021. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that the law will do its job, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde has said that in such a situation, the apex court does not want to interfere.

It may be recalled that on January 26, thousands of farmers took out a 'tractor parade' to press for the demand for withdrawal of the three new farm laws of the centre, but soon chaos spread in the streets of Delhi. At many places, the protesters broke the police barricades and also clashed with the police. Some miscreants even hoisted their own flag at the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.