Former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma again moved the Supreme Court Monday, seeking the clubbing of cases against her for her remarks against Prophet Mohammad, and protection from arrest. She mentioned renewed threats to her life in the fresh plea. The case is listed for hearing on Tuesday before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala — the same judges who had earlier rejected her plea to quash the cases against her or club them. A similar plea by Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair will be heard on July 20 by a bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna. The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Pardiwala had on 1 June had declined to entertain her plea saying she has a “loose tongue” and is “single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country”. The remarks against Sharma came under criticism. A group of “concerned citizens”, including 15 former high court judges, wrote an open letter to the Chief Justice of India that the observations violate judicial propriety and fairness. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, who had appeared for Sharma, had requested the Court's permission to withdraw the plea instead of having it dismissed. The bench allowed the petition to be withdrawn with liberty to avail alternate remedies. Sharma’s fresh petition was filed under the name N V Sharma, concealing her name for security reasons.
