The Supreme Court on Wednesday chastised the West Bengal government for keeping BJP activist Priyanka Sharma, who last week shared a meme of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,  in jail for one more night  when the court had on Tuesday itself ordered her release.

Priyanka Sharma was arrested last Friday after she shared a photo in which Ms Banerjee’s face has been morphed on the form of actor Priyanka Chopra. In the original picture, the actor was photographed at the MET Gala in New York.

 When counsel for Priyanka Sharma informed the bench consisting of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjeev Khanna that  she had not been released immediately as per the directions of the court, the bench said that if she had not been released, it amounts to contempt of court. The Counsel for the state of West Bengal said that since the order was uploaded at 5 pm yesterday and she has been released today at 9.40 am.

Priyanka’s lawayer  further submitted that the state has not informed the court about the closure report. Despite the orders of the Supreme Court she was detained and the commissioner of Police should be answerable for it says Mr. Kaul.

Priyanka’s lawyer sought that the matter be listed tomorrow, but the bench declined his plea on the pretext that the matter in not urgent and listed it after the vacation.

–India Legal Bureau