The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection to suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma from arrest in FIRs in connection to her comments on Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) till August 10.
Stating that it will correct to a small extent its earlier ruling on Sharma’s petition seeking protection from arrest and clubbing of nine FIRs against her, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala said, “We will correct it to a small extent. We never wanted you to go to every court.”
The court also issued notices to the Union government and states on her petition for clubbing of the FIRs. The case will be heard next on August 10.
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Nupur Sharma had also sough expunction of adverse remarks made against her on July 1 while refusing to entertain her plea for clubbing of the FIRs, saying she has been receiving death threats after the criticism.
Multiple FIRs have been filed against her for her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) made on national television.
While refusing to entertain her plea, the bench had said Sharma’s remarks led to unfortunate incidents and ignited emotions across the country.
Sharma’s comments had created an uproar within the country with massive rallies taken out by Muslim groups (some of which turned violent), besides causing a diplomatic fallout with several Muslim nations registering their official protest. Soon after, she was suspended from the BJP.
Sharma had earlier moved the top court praying that the first information reports (FIRs) registered against her in different parts of the country for her remarks on Prophet Muhammad, be transferred to Delhi.
However, the same bench which heard the matter today, had on July 1, refused to entertain the plea and made strong remarks against her.
The bench had remarked that Sharma was single-handedly responsible for fanning flames across India and should apologise to the whole nation.
“The way she has ignited emotions across the country. This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country. We saw the debate on how she was incited. But they way she said all this and later says she was a lawyer, it is shameful. She should apologise to the whole country,” Justice Kant had said.
Sharma had then proceeded to withdraw her plea.
She then filed the present application seeking revival of the earlier petition.
When the matter was taken up for hearing today, Senior Counsel Maninder Singh, appearing for Sharma, contended that she has been receiving threats.
“There is real threat to life. there are reports that someone was travelling from Pakistan to kill her and some were apprehended in Patna who were planning to execute me,” Singh said.
The Court then said that it did not have the intention last time to send Nupur Sharma to different High Courts.
“We never wanted you to go everywhere. May be we could not convey this or you did not,” the bench remarked.
“There are ever increasing serious threat to life. We have seen in past how these situations pan out. Whatever has happened has happened. I had to withdraw… now another 3 to 4 FIRs have been registered. You are protector of Article 21,” Singh contended.
The Court then proceeded to grant interim protection to Sharma.