Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Monday got a major relief in the Calcutta High Court which stayed criminal proceedings against him for six months after a lower court earlier issued arrest warrant against him upon a complaint case filed by Trinamool Congress MlA and its spokesperson Mohua Moitra for allegedly outraging her modesty during a debate on television channel.
Moitra had claimed that her modesty had been outraged — by what Supriyo claimed a “passing comment” — and lodged a police complaint on January 4.
He had reportedly wondered whether Mohua was on Mahua (a country made intoxicant) when the Trinamool leader had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi “leveling most unfounded allegations.” A case was lodged against him under Section 509 of the IPC.
later a city court issued arrest warrant against him causing Supriyo to move the HC seeking a stay. He was summoned thrice in connection with the case, but failed to appear in court each time, citing a variety of reasons, said a police officer.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi who passed the order however asked the politicians to conduct themselves in a “more parliamentary manner like Atal Behari Vajpayee or Hiren Mukherjee,” lawyers said.
Meanwhile Motira said “I have faith in law and feel it will take its own course.” However, the Minister said though he had made a passing comment he would have “apologized if she had directly related her hurt feelings to me. But I was forced to go to the HC as instead of doing so she lodged a police complaint and Section 509 was slapped against me.”