Priyanka Sharma alleges ‘torture in jail’; says 'won’t apologise to Mamata Banerjee'
Priyanka Sharma, a BJP activist who was arrested for sharing a morphed picture of Mamata Banerjee on social media, alleged being harassed in the jail. Sharma was released around 18 hours after the Supreme Court’s direction.
Sharma’s lawyer also alleged that BJP activist was forced to write an apology letter and she never apologised to anyone for the social media post. Notably, on Tuesday the top court granted Sharma bail and asked her to apologies to Mamata Banerjee. However, later the top court waived off the apology condition and asked for immediate release.
"I was put behind the bars for a harmless social media post. I was jailed for five days, tortured and was made to live in a terrible condition. The terror of Trinamool is such that people are now scared to leave their houses," said Priyanka Sharma addressing a press conference.
BJP Youth Wing Convenor Priyanka Sharma who was arrested for sharing a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: My bail was granted y'day, but still I wasn't released for another 18 hours. They didn't allow me to meet my advocate & family. They made me sign an apology pic.twitter.com/Ln80lBZzJn
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2019
After being released from Kolkata jail on Wednesday morning, Priyanka said, "I was forced to sign an apology letter. I have never apologised. I have not done anything that needs an apology."
A petition filed by Priyanka Sharma’s family has sought Rs 50 lakh as compensation for "illegal detention". Sharma said that she will also file an additional application for exemplary compensation for being detained for an additional 24 hour after the court orders.
Earlier in the day, the top court had censured the West Bengal government after Sharma's counsel contended that her release was being delayed. "Why was she not released immediately?" the bench asked the counsel of the state government.
On which the West Bengal government said she was released at 9:30 am on Wednesday morning. Priyanka Sharma's lawyer said, "I'm told (subject to verification) that she was released at 9:40-10:00 am and that too after she was made to sign a statement prepared by police. It reflects extremely disturbing trend that the SC's order said 'forthwith release her' wasn't followed for 24 hours."
Also read:Amit Shah blames Mamata Banerjee for violence in West Bengal: calls EC mute spectator
First published: 15 May 2019, 14:54 IST