The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought Madhya Pradesh Government’s response on a plea of two journalists who were thrashed by police for reporting on illegal sand mining activities.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma, however, refused to grant interim protection from arrest to them.
The bench agreed to hear the pleas of Shashikant Goyal and Amarkant Singh Chouhan, and issued notices to Madhya Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi for their responses and posted the matter on June 9.
The counsel appearing for the petitioners pressed for interim protection but the court said, “Let the other side respond. Let the facts be brought by the state also. We are listing it on Monday (June 9).â€
The top court asked why the petitioners did not make the superintendent of police of Bhind a party to the petition.
“It is very easy to say all kinds of things against an IPS officer without making him a party. Whatever comes to your mind, just put it in black and white against the IPS officer,†it added.
The bench also asked why the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the NCT of Delhi were made parties.
The counsel said NHRC was made a party as petitioners had previously filed a complaint there and offered to remove it as a party from the case.
On the NCT of Delhi, the counsel said both the petitioners were in the national capital at present.
The bench asked why was it not informed on June 2, when the matter was mentioned for urgent listing, about the petitioners moving the Delhi High Court where the matter was pending.
“Why did you not tell us at that point in time that you had already approached the Delhi High Court and the matter was pending?†it asked. The counsel said the petitioners were seeking a stay on arrest and protection from coercive action in the Supreme Court and such reliefs were not sought in the high court.
“We don’t know what kind of a crime has been registered against you by the police. Can we grant you some blanket kind of anticipatory bail order that you will not be touched even if you commit a crime against this nation? Can we grant this kind of an order?†the bench asked further.
