Meme row: Bengal govt gets SC notice for delayed release of BJP leader despite court order

New Delhi, July 01: Supreme Court on Monday issued contempt notice to West Bengal government over delayed release of BJP leader, arrested for meme despite court order. BJP Youth Wing Convenor Priyanka Sharma had shared a morphed image of Banerjee donning actor Priyanka Chopra's spooky look at the Met Gala event in New York.

While hearing a plea filed by brother of BJP leader, the top court questioned the Bengal government "why activist Priyanka Sharma was not released immediately after the SC order in May." the SC also asked the state to file a response in four weeks.

In the petition, it has been alleged that there was a delay in releasing activist Priyanka Sharma, despite the apex court's order granting bail to her.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notices to the state government and others on the contempt plea filed by the activist's brother Rajib Sharma.

Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, was arrested on May 10 by the West Bengal Police under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of the Information Technology Act.

The arrest was made on a complaint by a local Trinamool Congress leader.

Priyanka Sharma was released nearly 24 hours after the Supreme Court ordered her released on May 14.

While ordering her release, the top court had observed that the arrest of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's Priyanka Sharma appeared to be "arbitrary".

The apex court, which initially said Sharma's apology would be a bail condition, later clarified that it wopuld not be a condition for bail, but she should apologise for sharing the post at the time of her release.