The Tripura High Court ordered the police to refrain from prosecuting a man who was arrested for over a social media post.
According to the Hindu, Chief Justice Akil Kureshi also barred the police from making any further arrest in connection with the case. Arindam Bhattacharjee, who claims to be an IT cell executive of the Congress party, wrote in a Facebook post on January 4 that all saved data in a user’s mobile will go to the hackers if they call on the said number.
“If you call 8866288662, all your data would go to hackers,” he had commented in his post, after which BJP state media in-charge Victor Shome filed an FIR with West Agartala Police Station and accused Bhattacharjee of spreading misinformation.
The Chief Justice in his order stated that posting on social media was equal to a “fundamental right” applicable to all citizens, including government employees, reported the Hindu.
Subal Bhowmik, senior Congress leader who unsuccessfully contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the West Tripura constituency, told The Hindu, “The order has been in line with the very essence of the Indian Constitution. We hope police officers will henceforth adhere to the rule book and not try to act as henchmen of their political bosses.”
