HC reserves judgment on Joshi petition

A Division Bench comprising Justices Ravindra Singh and N A Moonis reserved the judgment after hearing both the sides. “The court asked the advocate general to explain the difference between the statements made by the chief minister in 2007 on Madarsa rape case and that of Joshi’s July 15 comment for which she was booked under different charges,” said Umesh Narayan Sharma,a member of Joshi’s team of counsels.

“The court also asked the advocate general to explain whether the remark of Joshi was against the policies of the chief minister or was it a personal remark made against her,” Sharma added.

While arguing the case,Joshi’s counsel and senior Supreme Court lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi termed the incident of arson as “state sponsored that puts a question mark on the security of common people in the state”.

Advocate General Joytindra Mishra opposed the petition on the ground that it came under the jurisdiction of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court as the incident took place in the state capital.

He also justified the stand of the government in lodging the FIR against Joshi.