SC quashes sedition case against Vinod Dua, says every journalist entitled to protection

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed an FIR lodged against journalist Vinod Dua for sedition and other offences by a local BJP leader in Himachal Pradesh over his YouTube remarks.

A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Vineet Saran observed that "every journalist is entitled to the protection under the Kedar Nath Singh judgment (which defined the ambit of the offence of sedition under Section 124A IPC)".

The bench, however, declined the request of Dua wherein he asked for the formation of a committee to verify allegations against a journalist before filing FIR and that no FIR can be registered against any media personnel with 10 years' experience unless cleared by the committee.

On May 6 last year, an FIR against Dua under provisions of sedition was lodged by BJP leader Shyam at Kumarsain police station in Shimla district alleging that the journalist made critical allegations against the prime minister and the union government.

However, on June 20, the top court had granted Dua protection from any coercive action in the case and had said that Dua need not answer any other supplementary questions asked by the Himachal Pradesh police in connection with the case.