SC grants interim protection from arrest to YSR Congress social media head Sajjala Bhargav

New Delhi: In a relief to YSR Congress Party social media in-charge Sajjala Bhargav Reddy, the Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to him for two weeks to enable him move the high court for quashing of multiple FIRs lodged against him in Andhra Pradesh.

Refusing to quash the multiple FIRs on a plea by Reddy, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said, "We do not want to bypass the high courts and they are constitutional courts. We have no sympathy for anyone and if wrong is done then they will have to face the law."

It ordered, "We dispose of the writ petition with liberty to approach the high court. It goes without saying that the high court will hear both sides before passing appropriate orders. We have not expressed any opinion on merits."

It added, "Since the petitioner is apprehending his immediate arrest, which may disable him to approach the high court, we direct that the arrest of petitioner shall remain stayed for two weeks to enable him to approach the high court".

The top court said that the high court may use its complete discretion to extend or decline the interim protection granted by the court.

Reddy claimed that the Chandrababu Naidu-led state government was misusing these provisions of law against members of Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to stifle dissent.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Siddharth Dave, appearing for Reddy, submitted that in all the FIRs lodged against him, the incident allegedly took place prior to coming of the criminal laws that is July 1.

Sibal said since the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) came into force, multiple FIRs were lodged against Reddy within one week and that too based on confessional statements of co-accused persons.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the state government, opposed the relief sought by Reddy and said that the accused has already been protected by the interim order of the high court. He said the accused was making all kinds of statements, and allegations against him are serious in nature.

The bench told Luthra that if he (Reddy) has done something wrong, then he must face the consequences.

Reddy in his plea said that six FIRs (details of which he has provided in the writ petition) have been lodged against him misusing provision of organised crimes under BNS to stifle dissent expressed by the opposition parties.

Recently, Kadapa police issued a lookout notice against Sajjala Bhargav Reddy, in an SC/ST atrocity case.

On November 8, an SC/ST atrocity case was registered following a complaint by Hari, a resident of Simhadripuram mandal in the Pulivendula Assembly segment of Kadapa district. The case is related to the social media posts made by YSRC activists against TDP and Jana Sena leaders. Hari accused Bhargav Reddy, YSRC social media organiser Arjun Reddy and social activist Varra Ravindra Reddy of abusing him on social media based on his caste.

It is said that the YSRCP social media cell under Bhargav’s supervision has been making personal attacks against rival party leaders.