Kolkata: The Kolkata Police Saturday issued a look out circular against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. This came a day after the Supreme Court made scathing observations on Sharma’s controversial remark on Prophet Muhammad and the incidents of violence reported thereafter.
A look out circular is used by a law enforcement agency to ensure that a person who is wanted in investigation and is absconding doesn’t leave the country. It is usually valid for one year from the date of issue.
An FIR was registered against Sharma at the Narkeldanga Police Station in Kolkata on 13 June on the complaint of a local resident. Sharma was asked to appear before the police on 20 June but she sought more time and emailed saying she was unable to join the probe on the said date.
Sharma was sent a second notice from the Amherst Street Police Station in Kolkata on 23 June, asking her to appear on 25 June.
Widespread violence had broken out in Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia districts of West Bengal over Sharma’s Prophet remark during the second week of June.
On Friday, while hearing Sharma’s plea to club multiple FIRs against her for controversial remarks on the Prophet, the Supreme Court had come down heavily and said her “disturbing statements” were “single-handedly” responsible for igniting “emotions in the country”. The matter was being heard by a two-judge vacation bench headed by Justice Surya Kant.
During the court proceedings, a reference was also made to the murder of Hindu tailor in Udaipur by two Muslim men who claimed on video that the attack was to avenge his support for Sharma.
Sharma’s comment had also triggered a diplomatic storm, with several Gulf countries like Qatar, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia summoning Indian diplomats to express their strong protest over the remarks made by Sharma and BJP’s Delhi unit media head Naveen Jindal. Sharma was suspended by the BJP and Jindal expelled from the party on 5 June.
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