HC directs police not to take coercive steps against Arvind

Case relates to MP posting a morphed cartoon of CM on social media

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of Telangana High Court on Friday directed Banjara Hills police of Hyderabad Commissionerate not to take any coercive steps against BJP Nizamabad MP Arvind Dharmapuri against whom a criminal case was registered over a social media posting of morphed cartoon of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

After hearing a criminal petition filed by the MP seeking direction to quash the First Information Report (FIR) issued against him, the judge also directed the MP to refrain from posting any such content in social media. Such posts may result in enmity and disturbances between different groups in the community, he said.

The judge said the court had seen the photo copy of the social media post by the MP. It was not in good taste as the cartoon was connected to an elected leader holding high constitutional post, the bench said. However, the allegation against the MP and the issuance of FIR prima facie appeared to be exaggerated, the judge observed. The social media post related to the CM was nothing but caricature of the government’s decision. No criminal offence can be made out under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code based on that, the judge said.