Nupur Sharma moves SC again, seeks protection against arrest

Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma Monday moved the Supreme Court with a fresh plea urging protection from arrest as well as the revival of her withdrawn petition seeking clubbing of first information reports (FIRs) lodged in several states over her remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

Sharma has also sought expunction of adverse remarks made by a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala against her on July 1 while refusing to entertain her plea for clubbing of the FIRs, saying she has been receiving death threats after the criticism, according to a lawyer associated with the case.

"In her plea seeking to pursue her earlier petition, she has contended that due to the adverse remarks against her she is facing threats to life from fringe elements," the lawyer said.

She has sought clubbing and stay of investigations in different FIRs lodged in several states and transferring them to Delhi, he said.

Sharma has made Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam parties in her petition where FIRs have been lodged against her.

The same bench of Justices Kant and Pardiwala will be hearing the fresh plea of Sharma on Tuesday.

As per the office report uploaded on the apex court's website, the writ petition was dismissed as withdrawn by the court vide order dated July 1, 2022.

'It is submitted that Ms. Rachitta Rai, Advocate for the Petitioner has on July 9, e-filed an application for clarification of the Order... and for issuance of appropriate directions along with the application for exemption from filing the notarized affidavit. The Miscellaneous Application along with applications above mentioned is listed before the court along with this Office Report..,' it said.

On July 1, the top court severely criticised Sharma for her controversial comments against the Prophet, saying her 'loose tongue' has 'set the entire country on fire' and that she is 'single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country'.

'She actually has a loose tongue and has made all kinds of irresponsible statements on TV and set the entire country on fire. Yet, she claims to be a lawyer of 10 years standing... She should have immediately apologised for her comments to the whole country,' the court had said.

Refusing to entertain Sharma's plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged in various States against her for the remark, the bench had held that the comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda, or some nefarious activities.

Sharma's remark on the Prophet during a TV debate had triggered protests across the country and drew sharp reactions from many Gulf countries.

The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

'These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country...These people are not religious. They do not have respect for other religions. These remarks were made for cheap publicity or political agenda or some other nefarious activities,' the bench had said.

While refusing to entertain Sharma's plea for clubbing of FIRs, the bench had allowed her to withdraw the plea.

'She has a threat or she has become a security threat? The way she has ignited emotions across the country, this lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,' the bench had said when Sharma's lawyer Maninder Singh had pointed out that she was facing threats to life.

The court's observations against the suspended BJP leader had come in the backdrop of the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur by two men, who had posted videos online, claiming that they were avenging an insult to Islam.