Friday, the Supreme Court ordered the clubbing of all FIRs registered against Times Network group editor Navika Kumar for remarks about Prophet Muhammad made during a TV show by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
According to a bench presided over by Justice M R Shah, all FIRs will be linked to the one filed by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) of the Delhi Police. A future FIR will also be tagged with the Delhi one if it is filed.
In addition, the court granted Navika Kumar protection from arrest for eight weeks and allowed her to approach the Delhi High Court regarding the quashing of the FIRs. Following the telecast of the show on May 26, 2022, Kumar filed a complaint with the Supreme Court.
Her protection from arrest was granted by the court when it issued a notice of her plea on August 10.
During Navika Kumar’s trial, senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi stated that she had not spoken on the show, but only anchored it. Gyanvapi was the topic of the debate. A contestant suddenly began speaking, and the other contestant retorted.” According to him, she had actually tried to douse the fire by saying we have to follow the Constitution.
Furthermore, Rohatgi said Nupur Sharma, who is facing multiple FIRs, has been given protection, and that many FIRs have been filed against Kumar too. I’m facing five or six FIRs in Kolkata alone…,” he said, adding that the first one was in Delhi. According to him, the Supreme Court ruled against a second FIR on the same grounds in the T T Antony case.