Pinnacle Court slams police for sending notices to over social media posts regarding Tripura violence

The Top court today slammed Tripura Police for sending notices to people for social media posts over alleged communal violence in the state despite its interim restraining order.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant warned the counsel for the state that if Tripura Police does not refrain from harassing people, it will summon the Home Secretary and the concerned police officials.

The Apex court was hearing a plea filed by journalist Samiullah Shabbir Khan against a notice issued by Tripura Police seeking his appearance under Section 41A (Notice of appearance before police officer) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Advocate Sharukh Alam, appearing for Khan, stated before that the top court on January 10 passed an interim order restraining the police from acting against the journalist’s tweets.

Justice Chandrachud added, “When we have passed an order, how dare you not implement it? We will ask your home secretary and other officers to be present on the screen next time. At least show deference to our order when we have handled an issue.”

The counsel for the Tripura government said that he had no instructions or information about the government’s stand on the matter.

“What else is all this if it is not harassment?” the bench asked in response, according to PTI. “It is a very innocuous statement to say you don’t have instructions here while you keep doing all this.”

The three persons, who were part of a fact finding committee, have also challenged the Constitutional validity of some provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 on the grounds that the definition of unlawful activities is vague and wide; moreover, the statute makes grant of bail to accused very difficult.

The FIR took note of a tweet of one of the members of the civil society which had stated that "Tripura is burning".

The apex court directed Tripura Police not to take further steps with regard to a notice seeking appearance of Khan in the matter.