The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly sharing objectionable content on social media targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, while hearing Malviya’s petition challenging a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that denied him anticipatory bail, said the state was free to take legal action if Malviya posts further offensive content.
“If he shares any more offensive posts, the state is at liberty to proceed under the law,” the bench observed, while also expressing concern over the tone of online discourse. “Log kisi ko bhi, kuch bhi keh dete hain (People say anything to anyone),” the court remarked, reflecting its displeasure over the alleged abuse on social media.
Malviya was booked by the Lasudiya police station in Indore in May following a complaint by RSS member and lawyer Vinay Joshi. The complaint accused the cartoonist of hurting Hindu religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony through cartoons, videos, and comments posted on social media. Among the cited content were alleged derogatory references to Lord Shiva and posts targeting Modi and RSS workers.
The FIR includes charges related to promoting enmity between groups, hurting religious sentiments, and defamation.
