SC adjourns Hyd Univ Prof’s plea challenging criminal proceedings over defamatory statement on Meiteis

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned hearing on a plea filed by Hyderabad University Professor Kham Khan Suan Hausing challenging summons issued by a Manipur court in a criminal complaint lodged against him for allegedly defaming the Meitei community during an interview.

The plea, which was slated to be heard by a bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, could not be taken up for hearing as the bench rose early on account of some personal difficulties.

“I will have to rise right now. There is some issue at home. I will try coming back by 1 p.m.,” CJI Chandrachud told advocates and litigants present in his courtroom.

Hausing, the head of political science department at the University of Hyderabad was issued issued summons by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal, who took cognisance of the offences made out under Sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups), 200, 295A (outraging religious feelings by insulting religious beliefs), 298, 505(i) and 120(B) of the IPC.

The plea contended that the petitioner “read on social media that an FIR has been registered against him on the basis of an interview, which he had given to Mr. Karan Thapar of The Wire”.

It said that the petitioner has filed the writ petition before the Supreme Court to “safeguard his fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution”.

–IANS