NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said on Friday that the right to free speech is not unfettered and denied anticipatory bail to a Bengaluru-based 24-year-old chartered accountancy student, who, on his parody account ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Satire’ on X, had posted about the PM and his mother. The court said the student can approach Gujarat HC for relief.”People who abuse free speech cannot be extended discretionary relief by the courts,” said SC. SC: Right to free speech not absolute, denies pre-arrest bailSupreme Court said on Friday that the right to free speech is not unfettered and denied anticipatory bail to a Bengaluru-based 24-year-old chartered accountancy student, who, on his parody account ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Satire’ on X, had posted about the PM and his mother. The court said the student can approach Gujarat HC for relief. “People who abuse free speech cannot be extended discretionary relief by the courts,” said SC. It dismissed the petition which had sought quashing of the FIR registered by Ahmedabad police and refused to accede to his request for grant of anticipatory bail or protection from arrest to enable him to join investigation. Counsel for the accused said the man only put a question to a post which he had not generated. “For this he is being accused of outraging the woman’s modesty. Police from Gujarat visited his house and he was detained at a Bengaluru police station without following the procedure of law,” he said. “Police are threatening that they will arrest him. He is ready to cooperate with the investigation but requires protection from arrest,” the counsel said.The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholisaid, “You do not have any sense of remorse or repentance for the abusive words you used against her.” The counsel said he is just a student and is repentant about his post and requested the court to at least protect him from arrest.The bench said, “Petitioner who has abused his free speech right cannot be extended discretionary relief by the court.”An Ahmedabad resident on Nov 7 filed a police complaint that the accused had posted defamatory content against the PM and his mother to “harm their dignity, reputation and tarnish India’s standing in the international community”. Police registered an FIR and went to Bengaluru to question the accused. X has withheld the account after registration of the FIR.The petitioner alleged that in violation of his fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21, of the Constitution, Ahmedabad police, in league with Bengaluru cops, illegally took him to cyber crime police station and threatened him with arrest.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVaping, Bhow-Bhow & Shouting Match: A Look At Viral Moments Of Parl As Chaotic Winter Session EndsBondi Beach Terror Suspect Visited Hyderabad Six Times After Leaving India, Telangana Police Reveal’To Delay Elections, Instigate India’: Former Minister Blames Yunus Govt For Bangladesh ViolenceBangladesh Crisis: Tharoor Panel Red Flags 5 Reasons That Make It India’s Biggest Test Since 1971Rijiju Blames Congress As Parliament Session Ends Without Pollution Debate, Jairam Ramesh RespondsBangladesh: Hindu Man Lynching Sparks Outrage, Former Indian Envoy Calls Situation Total MobocracyExplained: Why Bangladesh’s Fresh Unrest Ahead Of Polls Is One Of India’s Biggest Strategic WorriesWho Was Sharif Osman Hadi, The Anti-India Face Of Bangladesh Whose Death Has Set Dhaka AblazePakistan Embarrassed Globally As Saudi Deports 56000 Beggars Despite No Fly Lists And Warnings’Countries Like Us Must Stick Together’: Jaishankar And Dutch FM On Strengthening India-EU Ties123PhotostoriesAlia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana redefine method dressing7 Christmas delicacies you should warn off if you’re diabetic17 one-pot rice dishes for winter months5 gym mistakes that can put heart health at riskFrom Labubu dolls to Prada Kolhapuris: 5 viral fashion moments of 2025 that broke the internetHarrison Ford, aging gracefully at 83: 6 habits behind his long-term vitalityNot just reindeer: 5 animals that make Christmas specialExclusive – Bigg Boss 19 Winner Gaurav Khanna on the dull phase in his career, facing hate from Farrhana, and reacting to trolls targeting wife Akanksha over her choice to not have childrenFrom Samosa to White Butter: Kareena Kapoor’s cheat meals to try this winter10 countries that feature birds and animals on their national flags123Hot Picksvb g ram gICICI Prudential AMCUAE RainGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays DecemberBank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJosh Allen Luxury Car CollectionRandi MahomesAuston MatthewsWho is Nicole LundersJeremy Doku and Shireen Doku Net WorthZachary BolducQuinn HutsonJake PaulCalvin PickardCristiano Ronaldo
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said on Friday that the right to free speech is not unfettered and denied anticipatory bail to a Bengaluru-based 24-year-old chartered accountancy student, who, on his parody account ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Satire’ on X, had posted about the PM and his mother. The court said the student can approach Gujarat HC for relief.“People who abuse free speech cannot be extended discretionary relief by the courts,” said SC.
SC: Right to free speech not absolute, denies pre-arrest bail
Supreme Court said on Friday that the right to free speech is not unfettered and denied anticipatory bail to a Bengaluru-based 24-year-old chartered accountancy student, who, on his parody account ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Satire’ on X, had posted about the PM and his mother. The court said the student can approach Gujarat HC for relief. “People who abuse free speech cannot be extended discretionary relief by the courts,” said SC. It dismissed the petition which had sought quashing of the FIR registered by Ahmedabad police and refused to accede to his request for grant of anticipatory bail or protection from arrest to enable him to join investigation. Counsel for the accused said the man only put a question to a post which he had not generated. “For this he is being accused of outraging the woman’s modesty. Police from Gujarat visited his house and he was detained at a Bengaluru police station without following the procedure of law,” he said. “Police are threatening that they will arrest him. He is ready to cooperate with the investigation but requires protection from arrest,” the counsel said.The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholisaid, “You do not have any sense of remorse or repentance for the abusive words you used against her.” The counsel said he is just a student and is repentant about his post and requested the court to at least protect him from arrest.The bench said, “Petitioner who has abused his free speech right cannot be extended discretionary relief by the court.”An Ahmedabad resident on Nov 7 filed a police complaint that the accused had posted defamatory content against the PM and his mother to “harm their dignity, reputation and tarnish India’s standing in the international community”. Police registered an FIR and went to Bengaluru to question the accused. X has withheld the account after registration of the FIR.The petitioner alleged that in violation of his fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21, of the Constitution, Ahmedabad police, in league with Bengaluru cops, illegally took him to cyber crime police station and threatened him with arrest.
