Overview
- Justice Shamima Jahan issued the October 15 order quashing the case against anchor Akanksha Swarup.
- The FIR was lodged on June 12 by Guwahati’s Cyber Branch under BNS Sections 196(2), 299 and 302.
- The court held Section 196(2) did not apply because the remark was not made at a place of worship and found the mens rea required under Sections 299 and 302 lacking.
- During the June broadcast, Swarup asked a relative of the deceased, “Since they had gone to Kamakhya, where sacrifices or human sacrifices are offered, is your family suspicious that this could be a tantric killing?”
- The court called the statement “utterly not required” and “totally careless,” cautioning against unverified public claims, as the channel had already apologized and removed related content.