'If Anybody Doesn't Fall Within The Line Of Government, Will That Be Sedition?' Bombay High Court

During the hearing of the Kangana Ranaut case, the Bombay High Court expressed concerns over the 'trend' to add the offence of sedition(Section 124A IPC) in FIRs.

"If anybody does not fall within the line of the government, will that be sedition?", Justice S S Shinde, the presiding judge of the division bench hearing the matter, asked the senior counsel representing Mumbai police.

The bench expressed surprise at the fact that the offence of sedition has been added in the FIR registered by Bandra police against actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel over alleged communal tweets.

"We understand other sections. But Section 124A? Are you treating citizens of country like this?", Justice Shinde asked Senior Advocate Rizwan Merchant, who was representing Mumbai police.

The judge also told the Public Prosecutor Deepak Thakare that proper workshops should be given to police officers regarding the sections to be invoked.

"Why the police is invoking Section 124A IPC(sedition) in such cases? In many cases 124A is invoked. You conduct proper workshops for officers as to which sections should be invoked", the judge remarked.

The bench, also comprising Justice M S Karnik, was hearing the writ petition filed by the film actor and her sister Rangoli Chandel challenging the FIR.

After the hearing on Tuesday, the bench passed an interim order restraining police from taking coercive action against the petitioners based on the FIR. The bench directed them to appear before police for interrogation on January 8.

Also Read :

"Sedition Law Most Abused Today, Criticism Against Govt In Power Does Not Make Any One Less Patriotic": Justice Deepak Gupta

Criticism Of Executive, Judiciary, Bureaucracy Or Armed Forces Not Sedition : Justice Deepak Gupta

Blanket Labelling Of Dissent As 'Anti-National' Strikes At The Heart Of Constitutional Values: Justice DY Chandrachud