Supreme Court Deflects Rifle-Firing Row to Gauhati High Court

The Supreme Court directed petitioners seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a controversial video to approach Gauhati High Court. The court expressed concern over bypassing high court jurisdiction, especially before elections, and noted Sarma's alleged history of divisive acts.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain petitions against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding a viral video purportedly showing him firing a rifle at community members. Instead, it directed petitioners to take their grievances to the Gauhati High Court.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, emphasized the importance of not undermining the high court's authority, especially during election periods when tensions often escalate. The bench highlighted a concerning trend of cases bypassing high courts.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi described Sarma as a repeat offender, advocating for the case to proceed in the top court. The controversial video, shared by the Assam BJP, sparked outrage and was later removed. Petitioners further demanded an independent probe into allegations of hate speech and divisive rhetoric by Sarma.

(With inputs from agencies.)