Big Win for Shehla Rashid: Court Permits Delhi Police to Drop Sedition Charges

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Delhi’s Patiala House Court has granted significant relief to former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Shehla Rashid Shora, allowing the withdrawal of the 2019 sedition case filed against her. The court accepted the Delhi Police's plea to drop the case, which was registered after Shehla posted objectionable tweets about the Indian Army on social media.

The court’s order came after an application filed by the prosecution, with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Kumar Singh passing the verdict on February 27. The case against Shehla included serious charges such as sedition, promoting enmity among different groups based on religion, language, race, and inciting riots—offences that carry a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Lieutenant Governor Withdrew Prosecution Approval

The move to withdraw the case followed a decision by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena, who revoked his earlier approval for prosecuting Shehla. His decision was based on a recommendation by the screening committee, which reviewed the case.

The Delhi Police, in its court application, stated that the LG approved the recommendation on December 23, 2024. Based on this, the prosecution sought the withdrawal of all charges, leading to the court’s latest ruling.

Case Originated from 2019 Tweet Alleging Army Misconduct

The case stemmed from Shehla’s August 18, 2019, tweet, in which she alleged that the Indian Army had entered homes in Kashmir and tortured local residents. The Indian Army strongly denied these allegations, dismissing them as false and baseless.

Following her post, a complaint was filed by a person named Alakh Alok Srivastava at the Special Cell Police Station in New Delhi. Based on this complaint, Delhi Police registered a case under charges related to inciting enmity and disturbing public harmony through social media posts.

The Lieutenant Governor's office later stated that the original proposal for prosecution was initiated by the Delhi Police and endorsed by the Home Department of the Delhi government.

Legal Relief and Political Reactions

The court’s decision to withdraw the sedition case is being seen as a major legal relief for Shehla Rashid. While she has not publicly commented on the ruling yet, the case has been a high-profile matter in legal and political circles.

With the withdrawal of charges, Shehla Rashid is no longer under legal scrutiny in this case, marking the end of a five-year-long legal battle over her controversial tweet.