New Delhi [India], January 8 : The Supreme Court has directed Uttar Pradesh (UP) police not take coercive steps against Neha Singh Rathore, who was booked for her alleged "anti-India" social-media posts on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pahalgam terror attack, granting her interim 'protection from arrest' to the Bhojpuri-singer.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar issued notice to the state, seeking response on the plea filed by Rathore which had challenged the Allahabad High Courts' decision denying her anticipatory (pre-arrest) bail.
Additionally, to ensure the accused's cooperation with the investigation, in the case against her, the apex court ordered Rathore to appear before the Investigating-officer as and when required.
The case against Rathore, which was registered earlier last-year at the Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow, relates to comments made by the 28-year-old singer, in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack in April. In her post on X, dated April 23, Rathore had said that the PM Modi-led government was running politics on the grounds of caste and religion. Rathore faces multiple FIRs registered on similar allegations across the state.
Subsequently, Rathore moved the Allahabad High Court seeking pre-arrest bail. However, the High Court rejected her plea by noting that the remarks in question, came at a crucial time following the Pahalgam attack and were made in a disrespectful manner.
Rathore had decided to approach the Supreme Court for relief. "The court's decision is above all for me. I respect it. It is obvious that we will move to the Supreme Court for relief. I will go to the Supreme Court for my rights," the singer told ANI.
Rathore said she has been ready to cooperate with the police. Speaking to ANI, she said, "The police have not yet given me any notice. They are talking about conducting raids everywhere. But they can just call me, and I will give them my location. Or I can directly go to them if needed."
Today, the Supreme Court however, granted the accused-singer, temporary relief by asking UP police not to arrest her.
The Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22 and resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including a Nepali national. The complaint against Rathore said that her posts could spread "caste-based hatred and anti-national views." The case was filed by poet Abhay Pratap Singh, also known as Abhay Singh, at Hazratganj Police Station.