High Court grants Protection from arrest to Journalist

The High Court of Allahabad had granted protection from arrest to Supriya Sharma, executive editor of a leading news website in connection to an FIR lodged against her on the complaint of a Varanasi resident who alleged misrepresentation of her statements.

On Tuesday, a division bench comprising Justice Manoj Misra & Justice Anil Kumar disposed of the plea filed by Supriya Sharma seeking quashing of the FIR registered against her.

The FIR was lodged at the Ramnagar police station by one Mala Devi, a resident of Varanasi’s Domari village, who complained that Sharma misrepresented her statements & made false claims in her media report.

The petitioner’s lawyer’s petition was that Sharma was in possession of an audio recording of the interview, the contents of which were reflected in the publication. The publication was a true representation of what was stated in the interview & the publication was made in public interest to highlight the condition of certain persons during nationwide lockdown in March 2020.

The Court after hearing parties concerned, disposed of the plea while observing, “considering the facts & circumstances of the case & keeping in mind that the petitioners claim that they have audio recording of the interview, the contents of which were reflected in the publication, we deem it appropriate to dispose off this petition by providing that investigation of the case shall continue & brought to its logical conclusion but petitioners shall not be arrested in the above case till submission of police report.”

On June 13, Police registered an FIR on a complaint by Mala Devi that Sharma misrepresented her statements & made false claims in her report. In her report, Sharma had quoted Mala saying that she faced extreme hardship, including lack of food or rations during the lockdown. 

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