#BombayHighCourt begins hearing the plea of Sunaina Holey accused of making objectionable statements against Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray.

@SunainaHoley
@OfficeofUT
@AUThackeray
@CMOMaharashtra
@MumbaiPolice

Adv. Abhinav Chandrachud answers the query of the court asking the parties to present the stand of other democratic countries on the statements made on WhatsApp or Twitter.
Chandrachud relied upon judgments of US Courts to submit that when similar statments against the government were made, a US court took a stand that the statement needs to be rectified and not arrested.
Chandrachud relied upon the judgment of the Supreme Court in the matter of Amish Devgan wherein the court observed that if it is a prominent person like a news channel anchor or a public figure, they have to observe higher amount of responsibility before making statement.
Chandrachud: My client (@SunainaHoley ) is not a public figure and hence her statements if incorrect can be rectified by the concerned authority. She need not be arrested.
Chandrachud submits the Supreme Court while considering the Shreya Singhal case had considered if any public disorder has been caused by the words if the accused in that case.

Chandrachud: in the present case there is no public disorder caused by the objected tweets.
Court: What does she do? Professionally?

Chandrachud: She is a consultant, advises companies. She is an MBA graduate.

I understood when you milords asked me the question. She is not a leader of any opposition party, or any other political organisation.
Senior Counsel Manoj Mohite appearing for State interjects: She is a professional tweeter, I can prove it.

Chandrachud: Milords her twitter bio space mentions that she is a follower of RSS, and some otber things, but that does not mean she is a leader.
Chandrachud: There are many such followers on Twitter, they are not all leaders.
Chandrachud referring to another Supreme Court judgment says: The words must be judged by the claim of its matural meaning, cannot interpret words too much.

There could be many interpretations of a verse written by a poet.
Justice SS Shinde hearing the plea points out that the Supreme Court had refused to quash FIRs filed against him and had refused to accept the similar arguments made therein.
https://t.co/VBdiWPh7A7
Chandrachud: Yes Milord. Infact they considered Devgan's apology as an admission of guilt.
The fact that he had apologised meant that he was guilty of usung a derogatory term for a Sufi saint.
Chandrachud reads a judgment of the US Supreme Court discussing the difference between incitement and advocacy and how both have to be dealt with differently.

Chandrachud: Merely advocating an opinion is not inciting the public.
Chandrachud asks the court if he can continue as it is almosy 5.30 pm.

Court asks him to continue tomorrow as there is a meeting now.
Matter to be heard tomorrow at 4.15 pm.
Hearing ends.

More from Bar & Bench

More from Law

We need to talk about the 'expert' witness statement evidence led by Ms Bell in her successful case before the Tavistock. THREAD

You can see who gave evidence in her support from these extracts from the Tavistock's Skeleton Argument.


Helpful for you to bear in mind that her solicitor was a man called Paul Conrathe, who has a long association with the religious right in the US (I have talked about him a number of times but this is as good a starting point as any).


I am not going to address here other criticisms that might be made of the form in which that evidence was given or the timing of its service before the court. I am just going to address, in alphabetical order, the individuals whose evidence Mr Conrathe led on Ms Bell's behalf.

The first witness, alphabetically, was Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Oxford, Michael Biggs.

Mr Biggs was exposed for posting transphobic statements online under a fake twitter handle: @MrHenryWimbush according to this report.

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महर्षि कश्यप की तेरह पत्नियां थीं।लेकिन विनता व कद्रु नामक अपनी दो पत्नियों से उन्हे विशेष लगाव था।एक दिन महर्षि आनन्दभाव में बैठे थे कि तभी वे दोनों उनके समीप आकर उनके पैर दबाने लगी।


प्रसन्न होकर महर्षि कश्यप बोले,"मुझे तुम दोनों से विशेष लगाव है, इसलिए यदि तुम्हारी कोई विशेष इच्छा हो तो मुझे बताओ। मैं उसे अवश्य पूरा करूंगा ।"

कद्रू बोली,"स्वामी! मेरी इच्छा है कि मैं हज़ार पुत्रों की मां बनूंगी।"
विनता बोली,"स्वामी! मुझे केवल एक पुत्र की मां बनना है जो इतना बलवान हो की कद्रू के हज़ार पुत्रों पर भारी पड़े।"
महर्षि बोले,"शीघ्र ही मैं यज्ञ करूंगा और यज्ञ के उपरांत तुम दोनो की इच्छाएं अवश्य पूर्ण होंगी"।


महर्षि ने यज्ञ किया,विनता व कद्रू को आशीर्वाद देकर तपस्या करने चले गए। कुछ काल पश्चात कद्रू ने हज़ार अंडों से काले सर्पों को जन्म दिया व विनता ने एक अंडे से तेजस्वी बालक को जन्म दिया जिसका नाम गरूड़ रखा।जैसे जैसे समय बीता गरुड़ बलवान होता गया और कद्रू के पुत्रों पर भारी पड़ने लगा


परिणामस्वरूप दिन प्रतिदिन कद्रू व विनता के सम्बंधों में कटुता बढ़ती गयी।एकदिन जब दोनो भ्रमण कर रहीं थी तब कद्रू ने दूर खड़े सफेद घोड़े को देख कर कहा,"बता सकती हो विनता!दूर खड़ा वो घोड़ा किस रंग का है?"
विनता बोली,"सफेद रंग का"।
तो कद्रू बोली,"शर्त लगाती हो? इसकी पूँछ तो काली है"।