The Supreme Court on Friday directed that FIRs registered against Times Now journalist Navika Kumar -- in connection with remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammed during a TV debate -- be transferred to the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police.
A bench headed by Justice M.R. Shah said that no coercive action should be taken against Kumar and the FIR registered by the Delhi Police to be treated as lead FIR. It further added that direction will be applicable to future FIRs which may be registered with respect to the same telecast.
The top court said the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police will be at liberty to collect material and Kumar can move the Delhi High Court seeking the relief of quashing of the FIRs and clarified that it has not expressed anything on the merits of the matter.
The bench said no coercive action shall be taken against Kumar in connection with current FIRs or the FIRs which might be registered in the future with respect to the same telecast for a period of eight weeks.
The top court relied on the order passed in the Nupur Sharma case. Kumar had moved the top court against multiple FIRs registered against her in connection with the debate on the channel. The top court has clubbed FIRs in West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Delhi.