Mahima
Madras High Court recently quashed an FIR against one Jafar Sathick observing that the petitioner’s organisation of protest was rather peaceful.
The protests were organised almost a year ago against the amendments made to the Citizenship Laws.
The Special sub-inspector of Police, Boothapandy Police Station had filed a complaint against the petitioner for committing public nuisance and causing hindrance to the free flow of vehicular traffic.
The bench of Justice R. Hemalatha noted that the First Information Report does not indicate occurrence of any violence.
The bench observed, “It must be unequivocally emphasised that the Constitution of India gives its citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression, assemble peacefully and without arms, to form Associations and Unions and to move freely throughout the Territory of India under Article 19 (1) (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the Constitution of India.”
While allowing the Criminal Original Petition, the Court remarked, “In the instant case, the protest was peaceful and as already observed no untoward incident took place”.