'Attacks' on migrants: SC asks Umrao to apologise for tweets
New Delhi, April 6
Noting that he should be “more responsible”, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesman and advocate Prashant Umrao to issue an apology over his now deleted tweets on alleged attacks on migrant workers from Bihar in Tamil Nadu.
Accused of spreading false information on alleged attacks on labourers from Bihar in Tamil Nadu, Umrao has filed two separate petitions — one seeking clubbing the FIRs and the other challenging a condition, asking him to report before the police daily at 10.30 am and 5.30 pm for a period of 15 days, by the Madras High Court while granting an anticipatory bail.
A Bench led by Justice BR Gavai modified the condition imposed and directed him to appear before the investigating officer on April 10 and after that as and when the IO required his presence.
The Bench sought to know Umrao’s standing at the Bar and after being told that he has been a lawyer for seven years, the Bench said, “He should be more responsible… Before the next date, you (Umrao) tender an apology.” It said the anticipatory bail granted to him by the high court will be applicable in any other FIRs registered in Tamil Nadu with regard to his tweets.
On behalf of the Tamil Nadu Government, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said there was no other FIR in which Umrao has been named. An FIR was lodged against Umrao under various sections of the IPC, including those for provocation with intent to causing riots, promoting enmity and hatred, provoking breach of peace and statement leading to public mischief, the Tamil Nadu police said.
In another case relating to reports of alleged attacks on Bihari migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Thursday agreed to hear April 10 Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap’s plea for clubbing of FIRs registered against him.
Kashyap’s lawyers told the top court that the National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against him. Multiple false FIRs have been registered against him in Bihar and Tamil Nadu at the behest of the two state governments, they alleged.
Kashyap said multiple cases have been filed against him because he had raised the issue of violence against the migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu.
