A BJP spokesperson who had helped fuel rumours of anti-immigrant violence in Tamil Nadu by falsely tweeting last month that 15 Biharis had been hanged for speaking Hindi was on Thursday warned by the Supreme Court to be “more responsible”.
The court, however, extended the anticipatory bail granted to Prashant Kumar Umrao, relating to one of the FIRs registered in Chennai, “to any other FIR registered in the state of Tamil Nadu with regard to the same cause of action”.
The bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Panka Mithal also accepted defence lawyer Sidharth Luthra’s plea to modify Madras High Court’s anticipatory bail order so that Umrao would not need to report to the local police daily at 10.30am and 5.30pm for 15 days.
Umaro, a spokesperson for the Uttar Pradesh BJP and a lawyer, will now have to appear before the investigating officer at 10am on April 10 “and thereafter as and when called upon to do so by the investigating officer”.
Rumours of attacks on north Indian workers in Tamil Nadu in early March had created panic among migrants and prompted some to return home. Chief minister M.K. Stalin was forced to issue assurances and send district and police officials to migrant pockets to allay their fears.
Luthra told the court: “State has multiple FIRs against me. I have got protection in one FIR. If I appear before police as per bail condition, I will be arrested in other FIRs.”
He said Umrao had merely retweeted certain media reports and deleted hisposts the moment he realised their inaccuracy.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, opposed any relief saying Umrao ought to cooperate with the investigations.
Justice Gavai then told Luthra that “he (Umrao) should be more responsible”, to which Luthra said he had already given his client the same advice. He assured the court that Umrao would tender a fresh apology for his tweet.
