The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 11 November, granted interim bail to Republic editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in connection with the 2018 abetment of suicide case against him.
Among other things, the top court judges, raised serious concerns about deprivation of personal liberty in Goswami’s case, after considering the FIR against him and observing that it was difficult to see how the offence of abetment of suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code could be made out in a commercial dispute.
Justice DY Chandrachud, during the hearing of the case, pointed out:
“If we as a constitutional court do not lay down law and protect liberty, then who will?”
This apex court verdict, however, triggered an avalanche of social media reactions with demands from the constitutional courts to also protect the liberty of jailed academics and other journalists.
‘Will Father Stan Swamy Finally Get a Sipper Cup?'
Referring to arrested 83-year-old activist Stan Swamy’s request for a sipper cup to drink from as he was a Parkinson’s patient, to which NIA had sought 20 days to respond, a twitter user wrote:
“Will Father Stan Swamy finally get a sipper cup, now that the corridors of justice have responded to the question of human rights in prisons?”
Meanwhile, another Twitter user talked about jailed 80-year-old activist Varavara Rao’s struggles in the jail.
More Reactions
Yet others listed out scores of people who, in an alleged violation of their human rights, were condemned to imprisonment. They also sought the treatment given to Goswami by the apex court be petted out to them too.
Some commented, singularly, on what Arnab’s release meant for them.
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