The Supreme Court on Friday stayed all proceedings against yoga guru Baba Ramdev in different parts of the country, for his controversial “honeymoon” remark targeting Rahul Gandhi over visiting homes of Dalits.
A Bench of Chief Justice R M Lodha also issued notice to police in all states, which have registered cases against Ramdev. “It is clarified that we are not making any opinion on the merits of the case,” the Bench said. The Bench also directed Ramdev to deposit `10 lakh in advance, which could be made available for the travel of those who have filed complaints.
The court’s order came on a petition filed by Ramdev, seeking directions restraining any coercive action against him and for clubbing all FIRs lodged across the country for his controversial remark.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate Keshav Mohan had earlier submitted that complaints and FIRs, arising out of comments made on April 25 at Ramdev’s press conference, be clubbed and dealt in Lucknow or any place of the choice of the apex court.
Ramdev has also sought that the courts and police should be restrained from taking any coercive action against him in pursuance of the FIRs lodged against him.
The first FIR was lodged against Ramdev at Mahanagar police station in Lucknow under section of 171(g) (false statement in connection with an election) of the IPC for his remarks against the Congress vice-president.