NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has on Friday declined to consider a plea for arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her remarks on Prophet during a television debate on May 27.
A bench of Chief Justice U U Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and P S Narasimha told petitioner Abu Sohel's counsel, the plea may sound "simple and innocuous, but it has far-reaching consequences".
"We would suggest you to withdraw the (petition)," the bench told the counsel, who also submitted the court may consider implementing the directions issued earlier in Tehseen Poonawalla case, related to mob lynching.
However, on the court's oral observations, the counsel preferred to withdraw the petition which was treated as "dismissed as withdrawn".
Days after refusing to consider her plea, the apex court had on August 10 protected Nupur Sharma against any coercive actions in multiple FIRs lodged against her in various places across the country following her remarks.
The court had also transferred all FIRs against Sharma to Delhi Police, while giving her liberty to approach Delhi High Court for quashing of those criminal cases.
The petitioner, Sohel claimed provocative and disrespectful statement by Nupur Sharma has created much uproar with Muslim community in the country and across the globe, which called for immediate arrest and strict action by the law enforcement agencies.
Claiming that there is no clarity in law on how to deal particularly with the hate crimes against any particular religion, the petitioner contended if immediate deterrent steps were not taken, it may lead to rise of unrest among the Muslim community.
The plea sought a direction from the top court under Article 142 of the Constitution for doing complete justice in the matter.
The PIL also sought "independent, credible and impartial investigation" into the incident and directions to comply with orders issued in Poonawalla case (2018) related to preventive, remedial and punitive measures to be taken by the Centre, state governments and law enforcement agencies in such cases.
