50 Intellectuals had written to Modi Lacked substance’: Bihar police drop sedition charge against celebrities

INDIA Updated: Oct 09, 2019, in Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Sedition case filed against 49 eminent artists and intellectuals who wrote to Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention to stop rising cases of mob lynching has been closed by Bihar police.

The FIR was lodged at the Sadar police station last week upon the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate which had forwarded a petition filed by local advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha (Photo: File photos/ Altered by Hindustan Times).

The whole world would be laughing at the kind of freedom of expression and democracy we have in India. The whole episode boomerangs against Modi, who presides over the Banana Republic we have.
Democracy dies in darknes, it if freedom of expression that throws light to people in a country. Otherwise they would living like prisoners in a dark prisons. If intellectuals can’t express they their views, think of the plight of the poor dalites who are linched for no fault of their own but for the entertainment of cruel, inhuman public officers The ones who broght charges againt these eminent persons should all be imprisoned as they are a threat to public order and decency. Bihar police should be given exemplary punishment. james kottoor, editor CCV

The Bihar police on Wednesday ordered the closure of a sedition case filed against 49 eminent artists and intellectuals who wrote to Prime Minister Modi in July seeking his intervention to stop rising cases of mob lynching.
Muzaffarpur SSP Manoj Kumar Sinha said order has been issued by him for closure of the case as investigation so far revealed that allegations were levelled against the accused out of “mischief” and “lacked substance”.
The FIR was lodged at the Sadar police station last week upon the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate which had forwarded a petition filed by local advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha.

The FIR cited the letter written by eminent persons, including historian Ramchandra Guha, filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Anurag Kashyap etc, expressing concern over alleged incidents of mob lynching against Dalits and minorities and claiming that “Jai Shri Ram” was reduced to a “provocative war cry”.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan said if the report of FIR filing against them was true, one will have to suspect the legal system. “Will any court admit such a petition based on a letter which was meant to express ones fears about happenings in the country?” he asked.

The FIR also listed six witnesses in the case, including actress Kangna Ranaut, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and director Madhur Bhandarkar, who were among 61 celebrities to issue a rejoinder to the July 26 letter.(With PTI inputs)