The Supreme Court on Monday declined an urgent hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action over alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad in a viral social media video, directing the petitioner first to pursue remedies before the police and other competent authorities.
Hearing the matter, a Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu said the legal process must be allowed to function before the apex court intervenes.
The Bench observed that if every grievance were brought directly to the Supreme Court, lower authorities would not be able to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
The Bench acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations but said the prescribed legal procedure must first be exhausted before approaching the Supreme Court.
It also cautioned against sensationalising sensitive issues and said that if an individual had committed an offence, the law should take its course.
Filed under Article 32 by advocate-on-record Ansar Ahmad Chaudhari, the PIL seeks directions to identify, remove and delete social media content allegedly containing defamatory and offensive remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
The petition also urges the Centre to frame guidelines regulating the publication and dissemination of deliberately derogatory or offensive content targeting revered religious figures, including Prophet Muhammad and Bhagwan Shri Ram.
It further seeks safeguards to prevent misuse of digital platforms for outraging religious sentiments and promoting communal disharmony.
According to the plea, the case stems from a viral podcast clip in which respondent Nazia Elahi Khan allegedly made objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
It also alleges that the interviewer published the full podcast despite having the opportunity to edit or remove the disputed portion. An FIR in connection with the alleged remarks was registered in Mumbai on June 23, and the PIL was filed before the Supreme Court on July 2.
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