The Supreme
Court on Friday directed that FIRs registered against Times Now journalist
Navika Kumar -- in connection with remarks made by suspended BJP spokesperson
Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammed during a TV debate -- Be transferred to the
IFSO unit of the Delhi Police.
A bench headed by Justice M.R. Shah said that no
coercive action should be taken against Kumar and the FIR registered by the
Delhi Police to be treated as lead FIR. It further added that direction will be
applicable to future FIRs which may be registered with respect to the same
telecast.
The top court said the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police
will be at liberty to collect material and Kumar can move the Delhi High Court
seeking the relief of quashing of the FIRs and clarified that it has not
expressed anything on the merits of the matter.
The bench said no coercive action shall be taken
against Kumar in connection with current FIRs or the FIRs which might be
registered in the future with respect to the same telecast for a period of
eight weeks.
The top court relied on the order passed in the Nupur
Sharma case. Kumar had moved the top court against multiple FIRs registered
against her in connection with the debate on the channel. The top court has
clubbed FIRs in West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Delhi.