Prophet row: Nupur Sharma gets interim protection from arrest till Aug 10

New Delhi, July 19: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in various FIRs registered against her in different parts of the country for her comments on Prophet Muhammad. The case will be heard next on August 10.

The court also issued notices to the Union government and states on her petition for clubbing of the FIRs.

The court's order means Sharma cannot be arrested in any FIR that would be registered in future relating to the same statement.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala issued notices to all the states where the FIRs are lodged against Sharma and asked why all the FIRs be not clubbed at Delhi, where the first FIR was registered for her May 26 statement during a TV debate.

Appearing for Nupur Sharma, senior advocate Maninder Singh said after the July 1 SC order asking her to apporach conerned HCs to seek relief on FIRs, a Khadim of Ajmed Dargah as well as others have issued serious threats to her life making it impossible for her to go physically to other states.

Sharma's remark against the Prophet, made during a TV debate, triggered protests across the country and invited sharp reactions from many Gulf countries. The BJP subsequently suspended her from the party.

On July 1, the Supreme Court came down heavily on suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for her controversial comments against the Prophet, saying her "loose tongue" has "set the entire country on fire" and asked her to immediately apologise to the nation for her remarks.

"These remarks are very disturbing and smack of arrogance. What is her business to make such remarks? These remarks have led to unfortunate incidents in the country...These people are not religious. They do not have respect for other religions. These remarks were made for cheap publicity or political agenda or some other nefarious activities", the bench said.

The bench also refused to entertain her plea for clubbing of FIRs lodged in various states against her for the remark and said that Sharma's comment was made either for cheap publicity, political agenda or some nefarious activities.

A group of former judges and bureaucrats had demanded that the Supreme Court recall its observations alleging that the court crossed the "Laxman Rekha" while making comments that are an "indelible scar on the justice system of the largest democracy".