The Supreme Court on Thursday disposed of Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao’s plea seeking the clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him for allegedly spreading false information about attacks on migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu, after the state said only one case has been registered against him.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra also disposed of another plea by Umrao challenging one of the conditions imposed on him by the Madras High Court while granting anticipatory bail, after the state government said that the investigation was complete and a charge sheet has been filed in the case.
Tamil Nadu’s Additional Advocate General Amit Anand Tiwari told the bench that as far as the challenge to the direction of Madras High Court is concerned, it has worked itself out since the condition was already modified by the apex court.
The apex court had on April 6 modified the condition imposed by the high court that Umrao shall report before the police daily at 10.30 am and 5.30 pm for a period of 15 days and, thereafter, as and when required for interrogation.
Tiwari further said, in Umrao’s writ petition seeking clubbing of FIRs lodged against him, the Tamil Nadu government has said in its counter affidavit that only one FIR has been filed.
Umrao’s counsel said he has been cooperating with the investigation in the case as per earlier direction of the top court and has appeared before the investigating officer.
The bench said it will record the statements made on behalf of the state and dispose of the two petitions.
It recorded Tiwari’s statement and disposed of both the petitions of Umrao.
On April 6, the top court had asked Umrao, who is also a lawyer practising in the apex court, to be “more responsible” and tender an apology.
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An FIR was lodged against Umrao under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those for provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity and hatred, provoking breach of peace and statement leading to public mischief, the police had said.
Earlier on March 7, the Delhi High Court had granted transit anticipatory bail to Umrao till March 20 to approach a Chennai court in connection with an FIR lodged by the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly giving false information claiming attacks on migrant workers from Bihar in the state.
Later, he approached the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
In its March 21 order, the Madras high court had noted that the prosecution’s case is that the petitioner had uploaded false content on his Twitter, now X, page claiming 15 Bihar natives were hanged in a room in Tamil Nadu because they were speaking in Hindi and 12 of them died.
