NEW DELHI/VIJAYAWADA: Following directions of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a first investigation report (FIR) against more than 16 people, allegedly supporters of the ruling YSRC party, under various sections of the IPC and the IT Act, for posting derogatory social media messages against the higher judiciary.
Taking strong exception to the “attack” on the judiciary, the registrar general of the Andhra Pradesh High Court had in May filed a complaint with the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID). The CID registered 12 FIRs against 16 people. The High Court, not satisfied with the CID probe, ordered the CBI to take over the investigation into the case on October 12.The CBI, on November 11, filed its FIR at Vishakapatanam, clubbing all the 12 FIRs filed by the CID into one.
According to the CBI’s FIR, the accused had intentionally targeted judges through interviews/posts/speeches and attributed motives to some of the orders/judgments delivered by certain Supreme Court and High Court judges.
Social media posts targeting the judiciary emerged soon after the Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down a State government order making English-medium education compulsory in State government schools, and handing over the probe into the alleged high-handedness of the police towards Dr Sudhakar Rao of Narsipatnam to the CBI.
While ordering the CBI probe, a bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar and Justice J Uma Devi of the Andhra Pradesh High Court asked the investigating agency to take up probe immediately to unravel whether there was a conspiracy behind the posts.
The HC further directed the CBI to take action against any person, irrespective of their position, if it is proved that there is a conspiracy behind posting derogatory remarks against the Judiciary on social media.
The Bench also asked the CBI to submit the probe report in a sealed cover within eight weeks.“If the CBI, on examination of the records, finds other cognisable offences, it can file more FIRs, investigate and bring the same to its logical end,” the Bench said while directing the investigation agency to take up the probe.
The said offences were committed between April 16 to July 15. Of the 16 named as accused, two are from abroad, including one from Kuwait.
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