Today, the Bombay High Court dismissed to grant any relief to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in a complaint seeking to quash action against her for allegedly disrespecting the national anthem at an event here in 2022. A single bench of Justice Amit Borkar dismissed the application filed by Mamata Banerjee challenging a sessions court's order of January 2023 remitting the matter back to the magistrate's court for inquiry and on the issue of issuance of summons.

Ms Banerjee in her application said the sessions court, instead of quashing the summons and remitting the matter, ought to have quashed the entire complaint.

The Court, however, noted there was illegality in the sessions court's order and hence the HC need not interfere.

Case Brief

Last year, in March, the Court issued a summons to CM Mamata Banerjee on the complaint filed by activist Vivekanand Gupta alleging that during a public function at Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium at Cuffe Parade in Mumbai, Mamata Banerjee had started singing the National Anthem in the sitting position, and later standing up and singing two verses before abruptly stopping and leaving the venue.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had challenged the summons before the special court.