The Supreme Court on Wednesday clubbed and transferred all FIRs lodged in several states against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks on the Prophet Mohammad to Delhi Police special cell’s IFSO unit. A special bench headed by Justice Surya Kant and Justice JB Pardiwala was hearing the plea filed by Sharma seeking clubbing and transfer of multiple FIRs lodged against her.
After hearing the arguments from all sides, the bench said, “Since this court has already taken cognisance of the threat to the life of the petitioner and specific instances have been cited, we direct that all the FIRs be transferred and clubbed to Delhi Police…The orders issued today shall also be extended to any new FIRs registered against the petitioner with regards to this particular incident and the same shall stands transferred to IFSO unit of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell.” The court also mentioned that the interim order of protection of her arrest will continue.
The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit or Cyber Crime Unit of the Delhi Police is a specialised team under the Special Cell in Dwarka and handles all sensitive and major cases.
The court has also granted Sharma liberty to approach the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of all FIRs filed against her. “We have gone through the contents of the application and additional affidavit with the help of these counsels. With regards to quashing of the cases registered against her, we are of the view that their counsels can approach the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of these FIRs,” the bench said.
Sharma’s remark on the Prophet during a TV debate had triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries. The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.
She had sought clubbing and stay of investigations in different FIRs lodged in several states and transferring them to Delhi, Sharma’s lawyer and former ASG Maninder Singh said. She had made Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam parties in her petition where FIRs have been lodged against her.
On July 1, the apex court severely criticised Sharma for her controversial comments and said her “loose tongue” has “set the entire country on fire” and that she is “single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country”.
“She actually has a loose tongue and has made all kinds of irresponsible statements on TV and set the entire country on fire. Yet, she claims to be a lawyer of 10 years standing… She should have immediately apologised for her comments to the whole country,” the court had said.
Refusing to entertain her plea for clubbing of FIRs, the bench had held that the comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda, or some nefarious activities.
“These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country…These people are not religious. They do not have respect for other religions. These remarks were made for cheap publicity or political agenda or some other nefarious activities”, the bench had said.
While refusing to entertain Sharma’s plea for clubbing of FIRs, the bench had allowed her to withdraw the plea.
“She has a threat or she has become a security threat? The way she has ignited emotions across the country this lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” the bench had said when Sharma’s lawyer Maninder Singh had pointed out that she was facing threats to life.
The court’s observations against the suspended BJP leader had come in the backdrop of the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur by two men, who had posted videos online, claiming that they were avenging an insult to Islam.