NewDelhi: As per the media reports emanating from Delhi the Supreme Court of India here on Monday for the time being dropped criminal contempt proceedings against author and Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy for publishing an article expressing her personal anguish in the prosecution and incarceration of paraplegic former Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba.
Prof G N Saibab dubbed as Maoist sympathiser was sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2017.
The bench lead by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar asked the author that whether she would like to tender an apology over her article and end the case against here, Ms. Roy, through her counsel, straight forwardly refused the offer, media sources said.
“This is not at all a case for an apology,” senior advocate C.U. Singh, flanked by advocate Prashant Bhushan, responded to the court.
Subsequently, the CJI ordered further proceedings in the Bombay High Court to be stayed. Ms. Arundhati Roy had argued that the criminal case against her was tantamount to choking the voice of opposition in a democracy and produced an “intense chilling effect” on the fundamental right of free expression.