Even as the Jaipur Police on Tuesday summoned sociologist Ashis Nandy to the city “at the earliest” for questioning in connection with his remarks made at the Jaipur Literature Festival, the Rajasthan High Court stayed lit fest producer Sajoy Roy’s arrest and allowed him to leave the city.
Rajasthan SC/ST Manch chairperson Rajpal Meena, who had lodged an FIR against Professor Nandy and Mr. Roy, went to the Ashok Nagar police station and got his statement recorded. He alleged that Professor Nandy had insulted Dalits, tribals and OBCs and he perceived it as an offence punishable under the law.
Police sent a notice to Mr. Roy by post, asking him to appear for interrogation. “If the notice is not delivered at the address, a police team may travel to New Delhi to serve it on him,” according to informed sources. A CD of the video footage of the session at which Professor Nandy made the remarks would be sent for forensic investigation.
The Jaipur Bench of the High Court, approached by Mr. Roy through counsel Payal Chawala for the quashing of the FIR, directed the police to serve a notice on him seven days before his arrest in the case.
Justice M.N. Bhandari also stayed the orders of the police directing Mr. Roy and JLF executive producer Sheuli Sethi not to leave the city until the investigation was done. The court directed the lit fest organisers to cooperate in the probe. Counsel argued that since the offence was not made out, the FIR should be quashed in the interest of justice.
