Sedition FIRs: Supreme Court stays arrest of Tharoor, Sardesai and others

The Supreme Court today stayed the arrest of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and six senior journalists over multiple FIRs filed against them for "misreporting" on the death of a farmer on January 26, LiveLaw reported.

The journalists are Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Anant Nath, Paresh Nath, Zafar Agha, and Vinod Jose.

The FIRs were filed in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi for "posting tweets and deliberately circulating fake news". Charges include sedition, promoting enmity, engaging in acts that are prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between religions, and making statements promoting hatred or ill-will.

Sardesai works for India Today, Pande is consulting editor at National Herald, and Zafar Agha is editor of Qaumi Awaz. Vinod Jose, Paresh Nath, and Anant Nath are associated with the Caravan. The FIRs have been widely condemned by the press fraternity.

On February 3, the journalists and Tharoor had moved the Supreme Court against the FIRs, asking that the "frivolous" FIRs be "cancelled".