In a significant development, the Supreme Court has extended the protection from arrest granted to lawyer Deeksha Dwivedi by four weeks in relation to an FIR lodged by Manipur police. The FIR was filed over alleged utterances made by members of a fact-finding mission, including Dwivedi, who had visited the strife-torn state. Meanwhile, the court has directed Dwivedi to seek further relief from the appropriate jurisdiction.
During the hearing, the bench, comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and Manoj Misra, disposed of the case and permitted Dwivedi to appear via video conference before a court in Manipur. The bench also emphasized that if Dwivedi had any grievances, she could approach the Supreme Court again, according to PTI.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Manipur government, objected to Dwivedi's virtual appearance, arguing that if she could deliver a speech in Allahabad allegedly inciting violence, she should be present physically before a court in Manipur. The exchange between Mehta and Dwivedi's counsel, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, grew heated during the hearing.
Earlier, on July 11, the Supreme Court had granted protection to Dwivedi from coercive action, extending the relief until July 17 in connection with the FIR. The FIR was filed on July 8 against members of the fact-finding committee, including Annie Raja, a CPI leader and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) general secretary. The charges included sections related to waging war against the country.
Dwivedi, a member of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), had joined a three-member fact-finding team to investigate the situation in Manipur. The Supreme Court, during a hearing on July 10, had urged all parties involved in the state's violence to exercise restraint during the court proceedings, emphasizing that it was not a platform for escalating tensions.
