Bombay HC orders probe over Mamata Banerjee 'disrespecting' national anthem
1 min read 29 Mar 2023, 05:53 PM ISTThe court dismissed Mamata Banerjee's application to quash the complaint against her for allegedly insulting the national anthem during her visit to Mumbai last year
PremiumThe Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked police to investigate the complaint against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for alleged disrespect of the national anthem. The court dismissed Mamata Banerjee's application to quash the complaint against her for allegedly insulting the national anthem during her visit to Mumbai.
The West Bengal Chief Minister moved high court seeking quashing of a summons issued to her by the Sewri metropolitan magistrate court based on a complaint filed by state BJP leader.
BJP leader Vivekanand Gupta filed a complaint against her, who accused her of insulting the national anthem. In his complaint, Gupta alleged that, Mamata Banerjee did not stand while the national anthem was being played at an event during her visit to Mumbai in January 2022.
While filing a lawsuit in Sewri magistrate court, Gupta alleged that Banerjee had shown disrespect towards the national anthem, and therefore should be held accountable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act.
“It is prima facie evident from the complaint, video clip in the DVD and video clips on YouTube links, that the accused had sung national anthem and stopped abruptly and left the dais, which prima facie prove that the accused has committed punishable offence under the section 3 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act," the magistrate court said in its order.
The court then issued summons to Banerjee and asked her to respond till 2 March.
The West Bengal Chief Minister appealed that the special judge's order on January 12th to set aside the summons issued to her by the magistrate court was invalid. This is because the special judge returned the application to the magistrate court on procedural grounds.
The appeal argues that the special judge did not have the authority to send the complaint back to the magistrate court since the application was for quashing the summons.
