Madras High Court Quashes FIR Against Student For Shouting Slogan Against BJP Govt On Flight With Tamilisai Soundararajan

The Madras High Court has quashed an FIR lodged against Lois Sofia, arrested for raising slogans against the BJP government on board a flight in the presence of former Tamil Nadu BJP president and current Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Justice P Dhanapal of the Madurai bench has ordered quashing the proceedings against the research scholar.

In September 2018, Sofia, a research scholar from Canada was arrested after she shouted “fascist BJP government down, down” on board a flight in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan who filed a complaint.

Based on Soundararajan’s complaint, Sofia was charged under Sections 505 and 290 of IPC (for statements conducing to public mischief and for public nuisance) and under Section 75 of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act (Penalty for drunkenness or riotous or indecent behavior in public places). She was later granted bail by a Thoothukudi Court.

While so, Sofia's father, Dr A A Sami, a retired government doctor filed a complaint before Pudukkottai police against Tamilisai and her followers alleging that they abused, intimidated and threatened his daughter at the airport, and sought for registration of FIR against them for Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), Section 294(b) (uttering obscenity), 506(i)(criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and for offenses under Tamil Nadu Woman Harassment Act. Since no action was taken by the police on the complaint, he approached the Judicial Magistrate. The Magistrate had then directed the Police to Act upon the complaint.

Case Title: Lois Sophia @ Layis Shobia v. Inspector of Police and Others

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Mad) 229

Case No: Crl OP (MD) 563 of 2019