Kolkata: Calcutta High Court granted actor Sreelekha Mitra interim protection till Dec 24, provided she cooperates with the probe, after observing that a cartoon on Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried by her during Gen-Z protests in Kolkata “shocks the conscience of the court”.Sixteen FIRs have been filed against Mitra over a poster allegedly showing Modi in a “distasteful” cartoon. Her counsel, advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, argued it was not a criminal offence.Booked under Section 352(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Mitra’s case was heard by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, who observed, “It might be insulting to a particular person. But 352(2) is not attracted,” asking, “How will it break public peace?”The single judge also directed that the condition for interim protection is cooperation of Mitra with the probe.He, however, said, “It’s not merely a cartoon. It is really distasteful.”AAG Rajdeep Mazumder said it could breach peace. The 16 FIRs will be clubbed and investigated by Anandapur police.
