[Sedition] Rajasthan High Court directs Aman Chopra to appear before IO on May 27

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The Jodhpur bench of Rajasthan High Court on Friday directed Aman Chopra to appear before the Investigating Officer (IO) on May 27, 2022, for interrogation in relation to Alwar riots case.

A single-judge bench of Justice Dinesh Mehta ordered that Chopra shall be allowed a 45 minutes break to have lunch etc., between the interrogation which shall take place between 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

“In view of the above, the petitioner is hereby directed to appear before the Investigating Officer on 27.05.2022, for interrogation which shall take place between 10:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m. The petitioner shall be allowed a 45-minute break to have lunch etc,” stated Justice Mehta.

An FIR had been registered against Chopra for airing a discussion show named “Desh Jhukne Nahi Denge” on April 22, 2022, at Alwar, subsequently posting it on Twitter which allegedly resulted in communal disharmony.

Chopra was booked under Section 124A (sedition), 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code [IPC].

On May 11, 2022, Justice Mehta issued directions to not arrest Chopra considering the order of the Supreme Court wherein 152- year old Sedition Law (Section 124A of IPC) has been kept in abeyance till the Union Government reconsiders the provision.

The bench had ordered, “the petitioner shall not be arrested in relation to present FIR No.0147/2022 registered at Police Station Bichhiwada, District Dungarpur or in relation to any other FIR filed or likely to be filed concerning the program ‘Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge’ aired at 8.00 p.m. on April 22, 2022”.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 8, 2022.

Case Title: Aman Chopra v. State of Rajasthan and Anr.