SC grants Randeep Surjewala 5-week protection in 23-year-old case
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala a five-week stay on a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him by an MP/MLA court in Varanasi in a 23-year-old case. Surjewala, then National President of the Youth Congress, faces allegations of vandalism during a political demonstration in the divisional commissioner's court and office compound. The bench allowed Surjewala to appear in the trial court within four weeks to seek the warrant's cancellation.
Details
NBW issued unnecessarily, HC denied urgent listing: Surjewala's counsel
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the NBW issued on Tuesday was unnecessary since the Allahabad High Court had reserved orders on October 30 regarding a petition filed by Surjewala to dismiss the criminal case. Singhvi also pointed out that after the NBW was issued, Surjewala approached the high court for cancellation but was denied an urgent listing, prompting him to turn to the top court.
Twitter Post
What Surjewala's defense team said
VIDEO | “A NBW (Non Bailable Warrant) was issued for Randeep Surjewala on November 7, against which we came to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has passed an order to let us move an application before Sessions Court within 5 weeks, and till then execution of order has been… pic.twitter.com/LCwjzfqsvg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 9, 2023
What Next?
SC refused to issue notice to UP government
The bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra granted Surjewala a four-week "breathing time." However, it refused to issue a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government regarding the plea seeking the documents and chargesheet filed by the prosecution in the trial, noting that the state was not represented in this case.
Insights
What was the Samvasini row?
In 2000, Surjewala and other Congress leaders allegedly caused chaos while protesting the alleged false implication of some party leaders in the Samvasini (inmate) scandal in Varanasi. Around 14 people, including the hostel warden, were booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, for being involved in the operation of a sex work racket in the women's protection home in Varanasi's Shivpuri. Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gave a clean chit to all the accused.