Rajasthan High Court stays journalist Aman Chopra's arrest on future FIRs, directs him to cooperate in investigation

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday stayed journalist Aman Chopra's arrest on future FIRs who was booked by the state police over a TV debate on the demolition of a temple by civic authorities in Alwar district.

Advocate Achintya Kaushik appearing for Aman Chopra said, "the high court has directed the journalist to cooperate in investigation at Dungarpur Police Station on May 16 , 11 am."

"Rajasthan High Court has stayed journalist Aman Chopra's arrest on future FIRs, if any, and has directed him to cooperate in investigation at Dungarpur PS on May 16 , 11 am," Achintya Kaushik was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Yesterday the high court had stayed the arrest of Noida-based journalist and had listed the hearing for today before its Jodhpur bench.

Chopra had already obtained a stay on his arrest from the court's Jaipur bench in the cases registered against him in Bundi and Alwar districts, but faced arrest in connection with a similar FIR filed in Dungarpur.

A Rajasthan Police team had camped in Noida, neighbouring Delhi, in a bid to arrest the TV 18 journalist in connection with the third FIR.

Police said Chopra was booked under Sections 124-A (sedition), 295-A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code, and the Information Technology Act.

The FIRs accused Chopra of giving false details suggesting that the demolition of a temple in Alwar district's Rajgarh town was carried out by the Rajasthan government in retaliation for the demolitions in Delhi.

While Rajasthan is run by a Congress government, the Rajgarh municipality is controlled by the BJP. The two parties had hurled charges against each other after the demolitions.

(with agency inputs)