HC stays arrest of ‘News24’ journalist for post allegedly promoting enmity, defaming municipal body

The Allahabad High Court has stayed the arrest of News24 journalist Shahnawaz for reposting a video on social media platform X that allegedly promoted enmity and defamed the Moradabad Municipal Corporation.

The bench on Tuesday directed that no coercive action be taken against the journalist until the next hearing on July 10, provided he cooperates with the investigating officer.

The court granted the additional government advocate two weeks to receive instructions in the matter.

Shahnawaz has sought that the first information report against him be quashed.

On February 17, a case was filed against him in Moradabad district for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.

The FIR was filed against him for reposting security camera footage that had been widely shared online. The video showed a worker emptying a dustbin and scattering garbage in front of a shop reportedly owned by a Muslim man, Live Law reported.

The complainant, another municipal sanitation worker, alleged that in the post, Shahnawaz had made allegedly misleading comments with the intent to tarnish the civic body’s reputation and disrupt peace in society, the legal news outlet added.

The FIR had named two other X users who had commented on the post, accusing them of attempting to communalise the incident, Live Law reported.

The counsel representing Shahnawaz told the court that his...

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