The Supreme Court has asked UP Police to release freelance journalist Prashant Kanojia on bail who was arrested for defamatory online comments against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Jagisha Arora, the wife of Kanojia, had approached the apex court through a habeas corpus petition seeking his immediate release. The vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Ajay Rastogi heard the case.
The bench observed that the arrest and remand was illegal, resulting in deprivation of personal liberty.
The UP Government has submitted through Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee that arrest was necessary “to send a message” that provocative tweets cannot be tolerated. However, the bench rejected the argument.
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