Journalist and anchor Vinod Dua has been served with a notice by the Himachal Pradesh police to appear before the Kumarsain Police Station in the State on Saturday in connection with an FIR lodged against him on charges of sedition.
Mr. Dua on social networking site Facebook, on Friday, said, “Himachal Pradesh police arrived at my home 10 minutes ago to serve me a hard copy of the notice asking me to appear before them by tomorrow in Kumarsain Police Station.”
The FIR has been registered under Sections 124A (Sedition), 268 (public nuisance), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) and 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) of Indian Penal Code. It was registered on the complaints of one Ajay Shyam Vill in Kumarsain police station.
This is the second FIR registered against Mr. Dua this month.
Earlier, the Delhi police had registered an FIR against Mr. Dua over a complaint lodged by BJP spokesperson Naveen Kumar alleging him of spreading rumours and misinformation about the sensitive issue of the Delhi riots. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had stayed it noting that the steps taken so far by the police in the case do not appear to be in consonance with the law and “do not inspire much confidence.”
The high court also stayed any further investigation in the matter arising from the FIR, till the next date of hearing on July 23.
The high court had noted that although, Mr Dua has already been granted anticipatory bail by a local court here, it was “of the prima-facie view that further investigation or proceedings pursuant to the FIR are likely to cause unwarranted and unjustified harassment to the petitioner (Mr Dua).”
