Nupur Sharma protected from arrest till Aug 10, new FIRs cannot be filed against her: SC

New Delhi: Amid the row regarding the remark uttered by Nupur Sharma against the prophet, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that no coercive action should be taken in the FIRs registered so far against the suspended BJP spokesperson and in future cases that may be registered in connection with her reference to Prophet Muhammad during a TV discussion.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J.B. Pardiwala said: "Meanwhile, as an interim measure it is directed that no coercive shall be taken against Nupur Sharma pursuant to the impugned FIRs."

Maninder Singh, a senior advocate appearing for Sharma, argued that fresh FIRs were being registered and they would pick her up. The bench said: "No coercive action to be taken against present or future FIRs in relation to the same telecast.."

The Supreme Court issued notices to the Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh police and others on Sharma's plea to club multiple FIRs.The court put the matter for consideration on August 10.

After the Supreme Court's July 1 order, Singh said the petitioner was under threat to her life and could not travel outside Delhi to pursue these cases.

The bench noted that in her support, the petitioner in the miscellaneous application has stated that after the July 1 order of this court, various incidents, like threats have been made by one Salman Chishti claiming to be Khadim of Ajmer Dargah who has called upon to cut her throat, and another by a man from Uttar Pradesh, who made a viral video threatening to behead her.

During the hearing, Singh cited an order by another bench of the top court, which had granted the ad interim relief by staying the similar FIRs. Sharma, suspended BJP spokesperson, has once again moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on her arrest in the nine FIRs against her for her remarks on Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate and also sought clubbing of the FIRs with the FIR registered at Delhi.

In the fresh plea, Sharma cited the top court's judgments saying that a person cannot be subjected to multiple FIRs in several parts of the country for the same offence.

The same bench of the Supreme Court had on July 1 criticized Sharma, whose reference to Prophet Muhammad sparked controversy. The Supreme Court said her loose tongue had set the country on fire and her irresponsible remarks showed her to be "obstinate and arrogant".

With inputs from IANS