Supreme Court Shields Cartoonist Over Modi Cartoon, Issues Warning on Future Posts

India’s Supreme Court on 15 July granted interim protection from arrest to Indore-based cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly posting objectionable cartoons of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on social media. A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar said the state must refrain from coercive action while the matter is adjudicated. Malviya was booked in May after a complaint by an RSS worker and is accused under Sections 196, 299 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as Section 67A of the Information Technology Act. The Supreme Court intervention follows a 3 July order by the Madhya Pradesh High Court that denied him anticipatory bail. During the hearing, the justices criticised the posts as “in poor taste” and noted growing abuse of free speech online, but also questioned whether the content constituted a criminal offence. They warned that if Malviya publishes further offensive material, state authorities are free to proceed against him under existing law.