WB government pulled up for BJP leader's delay in release

The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the West Bengal government over the delay in the release of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Sharma from jail despite its order for her "immediate release".

On Tuesday, the apex court granted bail to Sharma, who was arrested on May 10 for a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, adding that she should apologize in writing upon her release for posting the morphed picture of the Trinamool Congress supremo.

Sharma's counsel and senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul informed the court on Wednesday that she was not freed on Tuesday as jail authorities wanted certified copies of the court's order.

He said Sharma was finally released at 9.40 a.m. on Wednesday.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna still wanted to know why Sharma was not released immediately after the apex court's order.

The bench told the government counsel that if Sharma had not been released, the court would have issued contempt.

The top court observed that the arrest was prime facie arbitrary.

Kaul also informed the bench that the police had prepared a closure report in the matter but it did not bring it on record during the court the proceedings on Tuesday.

The court said it will take up the apology issue in July.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader was accused of sharing on social media a photo of Banerjee photoshopped on a picture of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra from last week's MET Gala event in New York City.

--IANS

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