Supreme Court Defers Hearing on Udhayanidhi Stalin's Sanatan Dharma FIRs

The Supreme Court deferred hearing Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's plea to club multiple FIRs against him regarding his 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remarks. Hearing is set for February 2025, and interim protection continues. Stalin's comments attracted widespread legal actions across several Indian states.

The Supreme Court on Friday postponed the hearing on Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's plea to consolidate multiple FIRs linked to his controversial 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' statement. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, slated the hearing for February 2025.

The court upheld an interim order that exempts the politician from appearing physically before the trial courts until further notice. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Stalin, noted that several complainants have yet to respond to the plea.

In March, the court admonished Stalin for approaching it to consolidate the FIRs after allegedly misusing his freedom of speech. Stalin, a minister and prominent film actor, is the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin. His comments in September led to legal actions across multiple states, due to their provocative nature.

(With inputs from agencies.)