Supreme Court continues to slide on liberty while High Courts hold up the judiciary's flag: Prashant Bhushan

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Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a tweet on October 8, called out the Indian judiciary for "sliding on democracy" while "holding the flag of the judiciary."

He pointed out that the Bombay High Court, while granting bail to actress Rhea Chakraborty, was harsh against the Narcotics Control Bureau.

The Bombay High Court, on October 7, granted bail to actor Rhea Chakraborty in the narcotics case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Chakraborty received bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. Additionally, she had to deposit her passport with the investigating agency and was not allowed to leave the country without prior permission from the Special Judge for NDPS. She would have to inform the investigating officer before travelling out of Greater Mumbai.

Bhushan also spoke about the Supreme Court statement on the Shaheen Bagh protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). He noted that the sitting protest was held within police designated areas and the SC’s restrictions were thus “sliding on democracy.”

“Mumbai HC slams Narcotics Control Bureau while granting bail to Rhea Chakraborty. On the same day a SC bench restricts the right to protest to areas designated by the police. The SC continues to slide on liberty, while HCs hold up the judiciary's flag,” Bhushan tweeted.

Mumbai HC slams Narcotics Control Bureau while granting bail to Rhea Chakraborty. On the same day a SC bench restricts the right to protest to areas designated by the police. The SC continues to slide on liberty, while HCs hold up the judiciary's flag

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) October 8, 2020

Hearing petitions against the Shaheen Bagh “blockade”, the Supreme Court on October 7 said that public places cannot be occupied indefinitely and protests should be carried out in designated areas.

Referring to the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh, the Court said “administration ought to take action to keep area clear of encroachments and obstructions.”

“Public places cannot be occupied indefinitely. Dissent and democracy go hand in hand but protests must be carried out in designated areas,” said Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who headed the three-judge bench hearing the case. The other two judges on the bench were justices Krishna Murari and Hrishikesh Roy.