HC quashes arrest warrant against Mahua Moitra

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday set aside an arrest warrant issued against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra by a Krishnanagar court and ordered that the proceedings be placed before the designated MP-MLA court in Bidhannagar. A division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Aryak Dutt passed the order in a case arising from a complaint alleging that Moitra had made derogatory remarks concerning Union Home Minister Amit Shah and women. The complaint had also led to an FIR invoking provisions of the BNS relating to alleged insults to the modesty of women, hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity between communities. The warrant had been issued after Moitra did not appear before the Krishnanagar court despite repeated summons. The lower court had criticised her failure to comply with its directions and said it had been left with no option but to issue the warrant. The High Court had earlier stayed the operation of the warrant while examining Moitra's challenge. Her counsel had also questioned whether the Krishnanagar court could proceed with the matter, given Moitra's status as a sitting MP.