Supreme Court gives 7-day protection from arrest to Mamata critic

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday granted a seven-day interim protection to Anirban Das, a social activist who is apprehending arrest in a criminal case filed in Bengal's Alipurduar for publishing a Facebook post critical of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Das, through his counsel Dipak Kumar Jena, submitted before the court that he is apprehending arrest as the police is acting on the direction and guidance of its political masters.

Das moved the apex court citing the prolonged strike of lawyers in the state, and said he fears that his liberty is at grave risk.

He contended before the court that the FIR against him was targeted at suppressing his freedom of expression, and he has been falsely implicated in a criminal case.

He also informed the court he had already tendered an unconditional apology to the person concerned, the Alipurduar Town BLock Trinamool Youth Congress Committee President, who lodged the FIR against him.

"The petitioner only made general criticism against the government of the day on Facebook, but police the registered an FIR", said Das in the petition.

Das has allegedly published the criticism against Banerjee on April 24.