The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of journalist Prashant Kanojia, arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for publishing an "objectionable" tweet against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on bail.

The apex court made the judgement while hearing a plea moved by the journalist’s wife Jageesha Arora challenging her husband's arrest by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

In addition to ordering the release, the apex court has also questioned the state government on why was he arrested and under what provisions.

Prashant Kanojia was allegedly picked up by the Uttar Pradesh Police from Delhi on Saturday. Though, his formal arrest was shown from Lucknow. Reportedly, the Uttar Pradesh Police took the action suo motu in this case.

Earlier, advocate Nithya Ramakrishnan mentioned the matter before a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Ajay Rastogi on behalf of Jageesha Arora and sought urgent hearing terming the arrest "illegal and unconstitutional".

The Uttar Pradesh Police had registered an FIR on June 7 at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow under various provisions of the IPC and the Information Technology Act.

Kanojia made satirical comments on Adityanath purely based on the alleged claim of a woman that she was in regular touch with the Chief Minister via video conferencing.

(With IANS Inputs)

First Published:Jun 11, 2019 11:56 AM IST