Bombay High Court said that every citizen has fundamental rights but fundamental rights are not absolute.
Bombay High Court said that every citizen has fundamental rights but fundamental rights are not absolute.
The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to grant bail to a student seeking quashing of five First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him in different parts of Maharashtra. Objectionable material against Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar,
A division bench of Justices SS Shinde and MN Jadhav was hearing a criminal petition filed by 22-year-old Nikhil Bhamre under section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place) of Maharashtra. There was a demand to quash the FIR lodged in different parts. Birth, language and acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 505 (statements causing mischief in public) and section 501 of the Indian Penal Code (printing or engraving matter considered to be defamatory).
Advocate Subhash Jha, appearing for Bhamre, submitted that the 22-year-old was arrested on May 13 and should be released immediately. He demanded quashing of all FIRs and while it was being framed, his client should be granted bail.
The court said, ‘There should be some responsibility. Every citizen has fundamental rights. But these are subject to restrictions. Fundamental rights are not absolute.” He said, ‘No one has the right to comment on someone else’s private life. Merely because someone has the right does not mean that he can exercise this right without any restrictions. could be,” the court said.
The bench directed the Maharashtra government to file a progress report and fixed the matter for hearing on June 10.