NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday shielded retired Army colonel Vijaykant Chenji from arrest in connection with an FIR lodged at Imphal West police station for allegedly stoking ethnic violence through his book published last year on ‘Anglo-Kuki war 1917-19’, which the complainant claimed was a propagation of a falsehood.
The SC also entertained another petition by one Henminlun, booked for allegedly giving inflammatory speech in Manipur, and protected him from arrest till further orders. Appearing for both the petitioners, senior advocate Anand Grover justified their petitions filed directly in the SC by saying it was impossible for them to find a lawyer in Imphal to represent them in the Manipur HC.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta objected to the petitions filed completely bypassing the Manipur HC. A bench headed by CJI D Y Chandrachud asked Grover if he had made any statement in his petition about non-availability of lawyers to represent his clients before the Manipur HC. On finding that there was no such averment, the bench asked Grover’s client to file an affidavit substantiating his claim. The CJI said, “We can’t convert ourselves into a HC. If necessary, we will ask the Manipur HC about non-availability of lawyers.”
The SC also entertained another petition by one Henminlun, booked for allegedly giving inflammatory speech in Manipur, and protected him from arrest till further orders. Appearing for both the petitioners, senior advocate Anand Grover justified their petitions filed directly in the SC by saying it was impossible for them to find a lawyer in Imphal to represent them in the Manipur HC.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta objected to the petitions filed completely bypassing the Manipur HC. A bench headed by CJI D Y Chandrachud asked Grover if he had made any statement in his petition about non-availability of lawyers to represent his clients before the Manipur HC. On finding that there was no such averment, the bench asked Grover’s client to file an affidavit substantiating his claim. The CJI said, “We can’t convert ourselves into a HC. If necessary, we will ask the Manipur HC about non-availability of lawyers.”
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