NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain the petition filed by Sameet Thakkar, a Nagpur resident who was arrested from Gujarat for making objectionable comments against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on social media.
Thakkar had approached the Supreme Court under Article 32 seeking consolidation of three FIRs registered against him. He had also sought interim bail. Article 32, allows citizens to move the Supreme Court to enforcement their rights.
Chief Justice of India S A Bobde asked senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Thakkar, to approach the high court. Jethmalani said, “We filed a plea (in SC) on October 19 and it was listed today. All are bailable offences.
If this does not shock you, then nothing will.” The CJI responded, “We are immune to shocks.” The advocate appearing for the Maharashtra government told the bench that there was no opposition to the bail application moved on behalf of Thakkar and that custodial interrogation was over.
The CJI then told Jethmalani that the apex court would not entertain an Article 32 petition and that he should approach the high court. “The high court can also uphold your fundamental rights,” he said. Later in the day, a magistrate’s court in Mumbai granted bail to Thakkar in one of the three cases filed against him.