Supreme Court Rejects Mahua Moitra's Request for Virtual Police Appearance

A two‑judge bench of the Supreme Court of India, Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu, dismissed Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra’s petition to appear before an investigating officer via video‑conference in a hate‑speech case. The court questioned her fear of eggs being thrown at her, remarking, “You are a Member of Parliament? Having taken the plunge into politics, why do you fear eggs? Our freedom fighters took bullets on their chests.”

The petition stemmed from a Facebook post that led to an FIR alleging religious‑sentiment offence. The Calcutta High Court had earlier ordered Moitra to appear in person on 14 August and granted her interim protection from arrest. After the Supreme Court’s rebuke, Moitra’s counsel, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, withdrew the plea, and the matter was dismissed as withdrawn. The court reaffirmed that public representatives must face legal processes like any other citizen.