The Madras High Court in the case Lois Sophia @ Layis Shobia v. Inspector of Police and Others observed and has quashed the FIR lodged against Lois Sofia, who in the case was arrested for raising slogans against the BJP government on board a flight in the presence of former Tamil Nadu BJP president and the current Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan.
The bench headed by Justice P Dhanapal of the Madurai in the case observed and has ordered for quashing the proceedings against the research scholar.
In the present case, the Sofia, who being the research scholar from Canada was arrested after she shouted the fascist BJP down, down on board a flight in the presence of Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan who in the present case filed a complaint. The court on the complaint moved by Soundararajan’s charged Sofia under section 505 and section 290 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 for the statements conducing to the public mischief and for public nuisance it has been stated under Section 75 of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act, the Penalty for drunkenness or riotous or indecent behaviour in public places. Later, the Thoothukudi Court had granted bail to her. Therefore, the father of Sofia, Dr A A Sami, who being the retired government doctor filed a complaint before Pudukkottai police against Tamilisai and her followers wherein it is alleged that they abused, intimidated and threatened his daughter at the airport, and sought for registration of FIR against them for section 341, wrongful restraint, Section 294(b), uttering obscenity, Section 506 (i), the criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and for offenses under Tamil Nadu Woman Harassment Act. Further, no action was taken by police on the complaint, thus, he approached the Judicial Magistrate and the Magistrate in the case directed the Police to Act upon the complaint.
