Uttarakhand HC Stays Coercive Actions Against Journalist In FIR Over Facebook Post On 20 Y/O Girl's Hit & Run Case
Last week, the Uttarakhand High Court stayed coercive action against a journalist who has been booked by the state police for posting on Facebook about a hit-and-run case involving a 20-year-old girl, wherein he had stated the police were yet to arrest anyone in the case. A bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit perused the alleged post and noted that no prima facie offence was made against...
Last week, the Uttarakhand High Court stayed coercive action against a journalist who has been booked by the state police for posting on Facebook about a hit-and-run case involving a 20-year-old girl, wherein he had stated the police were yet to arrest anyone in the case.
A bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit perused the alleged post and noted that no prima facie offence was made against the petitioner.
It also issued a notice to respondent no.3 and posted the matter for June 11 while staying coercive action against Journalist Sudhanshu Thapliyal.
Essentially, Thapliyal has been booked under Sections 353(3) [Statements conducing to public mischief/report containing false information, rumour or alarming news], 356(2) [Defamation], and 356(3) BNS 2023 for allegedly posting on Facebook about the incident, inter alia, stating that the Family members of the victim are crying and demanding justice as the Police have not arrested anyone in the case.
He was allegedly also unlawfully detained in the case overnight. Before taking him into custody, the police allegedly seized his mobile phone and denied him any contact with a lawyer or acquaintances.
Notably, the Press bodies — @PCITweets. DUJ and @iwpcdelhi last week strongly condemn the 'wrongful arrest' of journalist Thapliyal. Terming it as a fabricated case, the press bodies had stated that his persecution by the state police was 'totally condemnable'.