Yesterday, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee approached the Bombay High Court challenging a special court's order directing a magistrate to decide a fresh plea seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against her for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem.

Case Brief:

Last year, in March Metropolitan Magistrate, issued a summons to Ms Banerjee on a complaint filed by local BJP office-bearer Vivekanand Gupta. Mr Gupta claimed in the complaint that during an event in Dec 2022,  at the Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium remained seated when the National Anthem Began, and later stood up and sang two verses before stopping abruptly and leaving the venue.

The West Bengal chief minister challenged the issuance of summons before a special court for cases against MPs and MLAs. Earlier, in January 2023, special judge Justice RN Rokade set aside the summons on procedural grounds and asked the magistrate to consider Gupta's complaint afresh.

In her plea, she contended that the special court should have quashed the summons once and for all, and not remanded the case back to the magistrate.

The complainant in his complaint mentioned her actions which amounted to insult and disrespect to the Anthem and she committed an offence under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Before the complainant approaches Magistrate, he filed a complaint at Cuff Parade Police Station. 

Meanwhile, the Sewree magistrate's court on Tuesday rejected Ms Banerjee's plea seeking a stay to the proceedings against her.