Mamata's morphed picture: SC grants bail to BJP activist

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to BJP youth-wing worker Priyanka Sharma for posting an objectionable picture of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on social media. 

Earlier in the day, the apex court granted the bail to Sharma on the condition that she should tender a written apology for posting a morphed image of Mamata on social media. However, the SC later called back Sharma's lawyer N.K. Kaul and modified its order waiving off the condition of apology. Sharma will be released immediately.

A vacation bench, comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna, had on Monday taken note of the plea of senior advocate Kaul, representing the jailed activist, that her plea challenging the arrest needed to be heard urgently.

Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, was arrested on May 10 by the West Bengal police under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and under other provisions of the Information Technology Act on the complaint of a local Trinamool Congress leader Vibhas Hazra, the plea said.

READ: Mamata Banerjee morphed photo: BJP moves SC against arrest of Priyanka Sharma

The senior advocate said the BJP activist has been forced to move the apex court as there is a complete strike in local courts till May 14 in Howrah and moreover, she has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a Howrah local court on May 11. 

Sharma allegedly shared on Facebook the photo in which Banerjee's face has been photoshopped on to actor Priyanka Chopra's picture from the MET Gala event in New York.

Her arrest was followed by protests from the BJP and other social media users. 

(With PTI inputs)