New Delhi, Mar 11 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim protection to Sudhir Chaudhary, Consulting Editor of Aaj Tak TV channel, in connection with an FIR registered against him by Ranchi police over alleged anti-tribal remarks.
The Apex Court directed the police not to take any coercive action against him based on the FIR registered by the Ranchi police under the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, till further orders.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra while issuing notice on the petition filed by Chaudhary, asked the Ranchi police to file their reply within three weeks.
The Court further directed the authorities not to take any coercive action against the senior journalist.
A special leave petition was filed before the Supreme Court by Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra after the Jharkhand High Court declined to stay the proceedings against Sudhir Chaudhary and posted his petition to April.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra argued that no offense under the SC/ST Act is ex-facie made out against him. The FIR was registered for the offenses under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), and 3(1)(u) of the SC/ST Act on a complaint filed by the Adivasi Sena.
An FIR was issued against Chaudhary for his alleged remarks against the tribal community after the arrest of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
UNI SNG CS1945