Kolkata Police Issues Look Out Circular For Nupur Sharma

Sharma had earlier failed to appear before Amherst and Narkeldanga Police stations citing security threats.

Nupur Sharma was previously summoned twice by Kolkata Police for questioning.

Photo Credit: The Quint

In a new development, Kolkata Police issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) for suspended Bhartiya Janata Party member Nupur Sharma.

A senior official of the city police informed that they were forced to issue the lookout notice as Sharma did not turn up after she was sent two notices for appearance for interrogation, as reported by IANS. Kolkata Police is the first to issue a lookout notice against Sharma on this issue.

An LOC is issued to prevent an individual who is absconding or wanted by law enforcement agencies from leaving the country. Such notices are usually used at immigration centres in airports and seaports to ensure that such individuals are not able to exit the country.

Previous Summons

Nupur Sharma was summoned by Narkeldanga police station on 20 June for questioning in connection with her remarks about Prophet Mohhamed, news agency PTI reported. Amherst police station had also registered a complaint against her and summoned her on June 25.

In an email, she sought four week's time and said that she feared being attacked if she comes to Kolkata, an officer at the Amherst police station told PTI.

According to IANS, the city police official informed that different individuals have filed 10 FIRs in different police stations against Sharma holding her controversial comments about Prophet Muhammad responsible for fuelling communal tension in different pockets in the state.

Additionally, cases against her were also registered in Maharashtra. Bhiwandi Police and Mumbra Police in Thane had also summoned her while Mumbai Police issued a notice to her under section 41 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), asking her to report to the investigating officer on 25 June.

Nupur Sharma's Plea in Supreme Court

Earlier on Friday, July 1, the Supreme Court dismissed Sharma's plea with to move all the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against her over the matter to Delhi.

Nupur Sharma's remarks about Prophet Mohhamed on a prime time show on Times Now drew flak from Arab countries and led to violent protests in the country after Delhi BJP media chief Naveen Jindal also made controversial comments on the subject. BJP suspended both Sharma and Jindal after the uproar.

(With inputs from ANI, Bar and Bench,IANS and PTI)