NEW DELHI: Observing that it is not the court’s function to do moral policing, Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Punjab and Haryana high court order directing musician Vishal Dadlani and politician Tehseen Poonawalla to pay the cost of Rs 10 lakh for their tweets mocking a Jain monk.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked how the high court could impose cost on the duo for their social media comments after holding that no criminal offence was made out by their posts. The HC had in 2019 quashed the FIR registered against them by holding that no offence under Sections 153A, 295A, 509 of the IPC was made out from the complaint but said that it would be appropriate to impose the costs of Rs 10 lakh each so that in future they may not mock a religious sect head just to gain publicity on social media.
Quashing HC’s order, the SC bench said, “We are of the view that after finding that absolutely no offence was made out when exercising jurisdiction under Section 482 of the CrPC, high court ought not to have exercised advisory jurisdiction by telling the appellant that the contribution made by the priest was much more than what the appellant and the other accused have contributed. Function of the court is not to do moral policing”.
“Perusal of the impugned judgment shows that the high court upheld the fundamental right of the appellant of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India. After holding that no offence was made out against the appellant there was no question of imposing cost on the appellant and other petitioner,” it said.
BREAKING NEWS
- ‘Operation Sindoor’ Film: Director Uttam Maheshwari Apologises for Announcing Movie on Ongoing India-Pakistan Conflict, Says ‘May Have Caused Discomfort or Pain to Some’
- Fact Check: Defence Ministry Trashes Fake News Claiming BrahMos Installations, Indian Airfields Destroyed by Pakistan’s JF-17 Jets, Says ‘No Truth in It’
- Rishab Sharma Cancels India Tour Shows Amid Rising India-Pakistan Tensions: ‘Nation Always Comes First’ | People News
- Internal clocks determine the ups and downs of Antarctic krill
- Drones Spotted in Gujarat’s Kutch Amid India-Pakistan Ceasefire Deal, Blackout Imposed As Precaution
- ‘Pakistan Didn’t Violate Ceasefire Agreement,’ Claims Pakistan Information Minister Atta Tarar
- India Confirms Pakistan Violated Ceasefire Agreement, Says ‘Armed Forces Responding Adequately’ (Watch Video)
- Operation Sindoor: Sonali Bendre Expresses Pride in the Indian Armed Forces, Thanks National Heroes for Their Unwavering Commitment Amid India-Pakistan Conflict (View Post)
- ‘Har Shikhar Par Tiranga’ Bhukya Yashwanth, Telangana’s Mountaineer Scales ‘Phawngpui’ Mizoram’s Highest Peak
- Shabana Azmi Pens Emotional Note On Her Father’s Death Anniversary, Shares Unseen Pic | People News