HC pulls up Maharashtra govt. on arrest of student for 'defamatory' posts against Sharad Pawar

The Bombay HC observed that even Mr. Pawar, a former Union Minister and veteran politician, would not like that the student be kept in jail

The Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up the Maharashtra government over the arrest of a 21-year-old student for alleged defamatory posts against NCP president Sharad Pawar and asked if the government would take cognizance of every tweet it deems offensive.

The HC observed that even Mr. Pawar, a former Union Minister and veteran politician, would not like that the student be kept in jail.

A division bench headed by Justice S.S. Shinde directed the public prosecutor to take instructions from the state home department and let it know if they are willing to make a statement of no objection to the release of the pharmacy student.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the student, Nikhil Bhamre, challenging the cases lodged against him over the posts and seeking immediate release.

The court, after perusing the tweets posted by Mr. Bhamre on social media platform Twitter, noted that they do not name anyone.

“Nobody is named...and you (government) keep someone in prison for a month. How is this a basis of everything?” Justice Shinde said.

“There are 100s and 1000s of tweets posted everyday. Will you take cognizance of each and every tweet? We do not want FIRs like these. Some student is kept in custody like this…” the court said.