‘Freedom Fighters Took Bullets, You Fear Eggs?’: SC Rejects Mahua Moitra’s Plea To Join Police Probe Virtually

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's plea seeking permission to join police interrogation through video-conferencing in a case over her allegedly provocative Facebook posts, telling her that having taken the plunge into politics, she could not shy away from appearing before investigators merely because she feared eggs being hurled at her.

What The Supreme Court Said

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu declined to interfere with an order of the Calcutta High Court directing Moitra to appear before the investigating officer in person, reported Bar & Bench. The bench remarked, "You are a member of Parliament? Having taken the plunge into politics, you fear eggs? When our freedom fighters have taken bullets on their chest? These are applications that should not come before this court at all." Mahua Moitra Alleges BJP Workers Hurled Eggs at Her During Protest in Nadia, Shares Video.

Faced with the court's disinclination to grant relief, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Moitra, sought permission to withdraw the petition. The bench dismissed it as withdrawn.

What Is The Case About

The case arises out of an FIR registered in June at Hogalbaria police station in West Bengal's Nadia district on a complaint by BJP leader Hirak Bhattacharya, accusing Moitra of making provocative remarks capable of hurting religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony. The FIR was registered under alleged offences related to promoting social and religious enmity, outraging religious beliefs, and making statements that cause public mischief. ‘Have Some Shame and Some Spine’: Mahua Moitra Launches Scathing Attack on Yusuf Pathan As TMC MPs Rebel.

The complaint relates to two videos uploaded by Moitra on Facebook after a group of BJP women workers allegedly gathered outside the Krishnanagar District Sessions Court carrying eggs and tomatoes, claiming they would throw them at the MP if she appeared in connection with an earlier case.

In the first video, Moitra said she would lodge a police complaint against the women seen outside the court with eggs and, if the police refused to register her complaint, she would approach the courts, including the Supreme Court. In another video posted the following day, she said she would name all the women in an FIR and allegedly remarked that instead of throwing eggs openly, they should do so while "wearing a burqa" so that no one would recognise them. The videos went viral on social media, prompting the BJP leader to lodge the complaint alleging that her remarks were intended to inflame communal tensions.

Last month, the Calcutta High Court granted Moitra interim protection from coercive action on her plea seeking quashing of the FIR but directed her to cooperate with the investigation by appearing before the investigating officer on August 14.

What Was Mahua Moitra's Request

Before the Supreme Court, Sankaranarayanan submitted that while Moitra was willing to cooperate with the investigation, she should be permitted to do so through video-conferencing because she apprehended a hostile crowd outside the police station.

When the bench asked why she could not appear physically, counsel said the police station was located in her own constituency and that she feared another mob confrontation. Sankaranarayanan submitted, "I have a legal right under law. The requirement as per the police notice is to be at the police station in my own constituency. Last time I went there, two things happened. First there were threats that eggs would be thrown, and the second time eggs were actually thrown."

Court Points To High Court Order

The bench, however, refused to accept the contention, pointing out that the High Court had already directed Moitra to cooperate with the investigation. The bench observed, "Read paragraph 18 of the impugned order. If you do not appear, then face the music before the High Court. If you are aggrieved thereafter, then come."

In paragraph 18 of its July 21 order, the High Court had given liberty to the state to come back to the court in case Moitra "does not co-operate with the Investigating Agency to take forward the investigation and if she does not obey the notices issued in connection with the aforesaid criminal prosecution."

To be sure, the impugned High Court order had specifically asked the police authorities to ensure that Moitra "shall not be subjected to egg pelting or any other form of harassment."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2026 08:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).