Katju to Chavan on FB arrest: Suspend cops or face consequences

BANGALORE, INDIA: The arrest of a 21-year-old girl over a seemingly 'derogatory' remark on Facebook about the strike following the passing away of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray has drawn the ire of former Supreme Court Judge and chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju.

After hearing about the incident, he has penned a letter to Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. "It is alleged that she has been arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. To my mind it is absurd to say that protesting against a bandh hurts religious sentiments. Under Article 19(1)(a) of our Constitution, freedom of speech is a guaranteed fundamental right. We are living in a democracy, not a fascist dictatorship."

"In fact this arrest itself appears to be a criminal act since under sections 341 and 342 it is a crime to wrongfully arrest or wrongfully confine someone who has committed no crime," Katju wrote.

Further, he had added sternly, "Hence if the facts reported are correct, I request you to immediately order the suspension, arrest, chargesheeting and criminal prosecution of the police personnel (however high they may be) who ordered as well as implemented the arrest of that woman, failing which I will deem it that you as Chief Minister are unable to run the state in a democratic manner as envisaged by the Constitution to which you have taken oath, and then the legal consequences will follow."