SC: Vinod Dua can’t be arrested till further orders,Investigation to be continued
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="720"] Vinod dua, image: social media[/caption]
The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered in a special hearing that the state police will not arrest journalist Vinod Dua till July 6 in connection with the sedition case registered against him in Himachal Pradesh over Dua's YouTube show.
The apex court said that Dua will have to be involved in the investigation and there will be no restriction on the ongoing investigation by Himachal Pradesh Police. The court said that Dua would have to be involved in the investigation through 'video conference or online mode' as he offered.
A bench of Justices UU Lalit, Justice MM Shantanagoudar and Justice Vineet Saran sent notices to the Center and Himachal Pradesh government on the plea of Dua seeking quashing of the sedition case and asked them to reply within two weeks and the next hearing in the case Set the date for July 6.
"The petitioner (dua) will not be arrested in connection with the current offense till further orders," the bench said.
The court said, 'Though the petitioner(dua) has offered in his communique on 12 June that he will fully cooperate in the investigation through video conference or online, the Himachal Pradesh police will conduct the inquiry and give notice 24 hours in advance to the petitioner from his home, But following social distance,police is free for questioning.
The bench said that the investigating officer would have to appear in person after the court has openly initiated the hearing or will have to be available even while the court is hearing it through video conferencing.
The bench, meanwhile, issued notice to the BJP leader for July 6. Police in Shimla had asked Dua to appear for questioning on a sedition complaint by a local BJP leader. Bench gave interim relief to Dua and said that they would not go into the details of the case and would not stop the investigation.
The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered in a special hearing that the state police will not arrest journalist Vinod Dua till July 6 in connection with the sedition case registered against him in Himachal Pradesh over Dua's YouTube show.
The apex court said that Dua will have to be involved in the investigation and there will be no restriction on the ongoing investigation by Himachal Pradesh Police. The court said that Dua would have to be involved in the investigation through 'video conference or online mode' as he offered.
A bench of Justices UU Lalit, Justice MM Shantanagoudar and Justice Vineet Saran sent notices to the Center and Himachal Pradesh government on the plea of Dua seeking quashing of the sedition case and asked them to reply within two weeks and the next hearing in the case Set the date for July 6.
"The petitioner (dua) will not be arrested in connection with the current offense till further orders," the bench said.
The court said, 'Though the petitioner(dua) has offered in his communique on 12 June that he will fully cooperate in the investigation through video conference or online, the Himachal Pradesh police will conduct the inquiry and give notice 24 hours in advance to the petitioner from his home, But following social distance,police is free for questioning.
The bench said that the investigating officer would have to appear in person after the court has openly initiated the hearing or will have to be available even while the court is hearing it through video conferencing.
The bench, meanwhile, issued notice to the BJP leader for July 6. Police in Shimla had asked Dua to appear for questioning on a sedition complaint by a local BJP leader. Bench gave interim relief to Dua and said that they would not go into the details of the case and would not stop the investigation.