The Supreme Court issued a stern warning to Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, stating that he cannot equate himself with media entities while seeking the consolidation of multiple FIRs filed against him for his controversial remarks regarding the “eradication of Sanatan Dharma.”
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta rebuked Stalin, emphasizing that his statements were made voluntarily and cannot be compared to media professionals seeking higher viewership ratings. The bench dismissed Stalin’s reliance on previous Supreme Court judgments involving journalists such as Arnab Goswami, Mohammed Zubair, Amish Devgan, and Nupur Sharma, asserting that these cases involved individuals working under media directives to garner TRPs.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Stalin, cited the case of BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who faced similar FIRs across multiple states. However, the bench questioned Stalin’s choice to approach the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution instead of invoking Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Notably, the bench instructed Stalin to amend his plea and file it under Section 406 of the CrPC, scheduling the matter for hearing in the week commencing May 6.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had reprimanded Stalin for his remarks, reminding him of the repercussions of his statements, particularly as a minister. The court expressed disapproval of Stalin’s invocation of fundamental rights after making controversial statements and demanded that he comprehend the consequences of his words.
Stalin’s plea to consolidate FIRs registered against him in multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra, seeks relief from the Supreme Court to address the legal challenges stemming from his controversial remarks.
