The Supreme Courtroom on Monday stayed proceedings arising from an FIR towards Dehradun health club proprietor Deepak Kumar, popularly known as ‘Mohammad Deepak’, over a confrontation involving members of the Bajrang Dal and a Muslim shopkeeper.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta additionally stayed the operation of an Uttarakhand Excessive Courtroom order that had restrained Deepak from making social media posts or issuing public statements concerning the incident and the case.
The apex court docket issued discover to the respondents on Deepak’s plea difficult the excessive court docket’s refusal to quash the FIR.
Deepak had approached the excessive court docket in search of quashing of the FIR registered towards him. The excessive court docket had declined to intrude and directed him to cooperate with the investigation.
It had additionally directed Deepak and one other particular person related to the case to not make statements or add movies on social media regarding the matter.
Within the Supreme Courtroom, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that Deepak had himself lodged complaints relating to the incident however no motion was taken on them, whereas an FIR was registered towards him.
“How can a superb Samaritan be subjected to this type of a criticism?” Singhvi advised the court docket, as reported by Dwell Legislation.
Singhvi additionally argued {that a} rioting cost underneath Part 191 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita had been invoked towards Deepak regardless of the required situations not being met. The cost was subsequently dropped for a similar purpose.
Confrontation with Bajrang Dal members
Deepak had gained widespread consideration on social media after a confrontation with Bajrang Dal members in Uttarakhand, who allegedly objected to a Muslim shopkeeper utilizing the phrase “Baba” in his store’s identify.
Movies of the confrontation circulated extensively on social media. Throughout the trade, Deepak was heard saying, “My identify is Mohammad Deepak”.
The incident triggered a wider debate on communal tensions and non secular polarisation, with Deepak receiving consideration for standing up for the Muslim shopkeeper.
At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar throughout the Cockroach Janta Get together-led protests that led to Dharmendra Pradhan resigning as India’s schooling minister, numerous protesters had stated “My identify is Mohammad Deepak”, highlighting how his story had impressed folks throughout the nation.
The Supreme Courtroom’s interim order now places a keep on additional proceedings arising from the FIR whereas the court docket considers his problem to the case. The restraint imposed by the Excessive Courtroom on his social media posts and public statements has additionally been stayed.
