BJP activist’s arrest ‘prima facie arbitrary’

New Delhi, May 15

Terming BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma’s arrest for allegedly posting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meme on Facebook “prima facie arbitrary”, the Supreme Court today pulled up the TMC government for delaying her release. 

A Vacation Bench headed by Justice Indira Banerjee, which had ordered her release on Tuesday, threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against the state police after the petitioner’s counsel submitted that she was not released despite the court’s order.

As the West Bengal counsel said she had been released from jail at 9.40 am, the Bench asked, “Why 9.40 am today? The order was passed in your presence.”  — TNS

No apology: Sharma

• Freed after remaining in jail for five days, Priyanka Sharma said she was “tortured” and would not tender an apology for sharing the meme. She also vowed to fight a court battle as she had “done no wrong”.