Mumbai: Court sets aside summons issued to Mamata Banerjee in disrespect to national anthem case

Mumbai: A special court that deals with cases against legislators on Thursday set aside the order of a magistrate court in Sewree that had summoned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before it. The summons was over a complaint by a BJP functionary who alleged that she had disrespected the national anthem during a program she attended in the city in Dec 2021.

Ms Banerjee had approached the special court against the order of Feb 2 last year. The court on Thursday, however, directed the magistrate to proceed with the complaint from the stage of recording the statement of the complainant. Judge RN Rokade further directed that the court may proceed with the question of issuing the summons, after giving an opportunity to Ms Banerjee for a hearing, in accordance with the law. It then directed that the case records be immediately sent back to the magistrate court. A detailed order is yet to be made available.

BJP functionary and advocate Vivekanand Gupta had sought directions to the Cuffe Parade police station to register an FIR against Ms Banerjee for disrespecting the National Anthem. At the end of the program convened by lyricist Javed Akhtar, Mr Gupta said Ms Banerjee started singing the national anthem and later on, stood up, sung two verses and abruptly stopped singing it.

Magistrate PI Mokashi had stated in its order that it is prima facie evident from the complaint, the video clips in the DVD as well as Youtube links that the accused had sung the national anthem, stopped abruptly and left the dais, which prima facie prove that she has committed an offence punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. The magistrate had then summoned Ms Banerjee before it.