The Supreme Court on Thursday disposed of petitions filed by Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao in connection with a case alleging that he spread fake news about an “attack” on Bihar migrants in Tamil Nadu.
A Bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai closed proceedings on the petitions after Tamil Nadu Additional Advocate General Amit Anand Tiwari informed the court that there was only one FIR registered against Mr. Umrao. Mr. Tiwari said the investigation was over and a chargesheet was likely to be filed in court.
Mr. Umrao had complained in the apex court that multiple FIRs were filed against him in Tamil Nadu and Bihar for the same tweet, which he had deleted as soon as he realised that it was based on erroneous news reports.
The Madras High Court had granted him anticipatory bail. Following which, on April 6, the apex court had said the bail would apply to any FIR registered in Tamil Nadu on the basis of the same facts.
In April, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, for Tamil Nadu, had emphasised the fact that Mr. Umrao was also a lawyer.
“Look at his tweet. He is a lawyer. A lawyer is saying Hindi-speaking people are attacked in Tamil Nadu. For a lawyer to say that…” the senior lawyer had said in court.
Mr. Umrao was accused of offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those for provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity and hatred, provoking breach of peace and statement leading to public mischief, the police had said.
