CBI arrests over posts targeting Judges & Judiciary

The CBI has arrested two more accused in an on-going investigation of a case relating to making derogatory posts on social media against judges and the judiciary. Altogether, five persons have been arrested in the case for allegedly defaming judges. The first arrest in the case was made by the central agency on July 9 last month. The latest arrests were made on August 7. It was alleged that the accused, by intentionally targeting the Judiciary, made derogatory posts on social media platform against Hon’ble Judges and Judiciary, following some Court verdicts delivered by the Judges of Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh.

After registration of the case, the CBI traced 13 of the 16 accused named in FIR in the case on various digital platforms. Three out of them were found to be abroad. The CBI has so far examined 11 out of the 13 accused persons and arrested 5 out of them. Searches were also conducted by CBI at the premises of accused persons which led to recovery of several incriminating documents. CBI has also examined certain persons including an MP, ex-MLA and also continued investigation into the role of other persons who were not mentioned in the FIR. The CBI registered the case on November 11 last year under various section of the IPC, including section 506 (criminal intimidation), and section 67 of the IT Act. 

Chief Justice NV Ramana made the remarks against the investigating agencies on Friday when the court took up the recent murder of a Jharkhand district judge. "The CBI has done nothing. We have expected some change in the CBI's attitude but there is no change. Sorry to say, this is the situation," said the top judge, asking the centre to respond within a week on a pending petition for protecting judges. When judges complain to the CBI and the Intelligence Bureau on threats, they do not respond, Chief Justice Ramana said.