Taslima gets relief from arrest for now

We understand the threat to your life. You should apply for police protection. Why should we stop the investigation? The investigation cannot be stayed at this stage, the Bench told her lawyer K K Venugopal,who had sought protection to enable Taslima to appear before the police in Bareilly where the FIR was registered on December 4.

He said since a fatwa issued against her in 2007 had not been withdrawn,there was threat to her life and hence the FIR should be quashed.

However,the Bench said: This problem can be solved by grant of protection but the FIR cannot go like this.

The court tagged the petition by Taslima with a bunch of similar pending cases over validity of section 66A of IT Act. The Bench also agreed to consider transferring the case outside Uttar Pradesh when it takes up the matter next in the second week of January.

Taslima has demanded quashing of the FIR against her,besides declaring Section 66A of IT Act unconstitutional since it is allegedly being abu-sed for motivated prosecution in violation of the rights to equality and expression and the right to life and liberty.