SC stays criminal contempt proceedings against Arundhati Roy

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the criminal contempt proceedings against author Arundhati Roy in connection with a case related to the bail plea of GN Saibaba, former professor of Delhi University.

The case was earlier being heard by the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court. The HC had initiated criminal contempt after stating that Roy appeared to believe that she was "above the law".

In 2015, Roy was issued a criminal contempt notice by the Bombay High Court for criticising the court's decision of refusing the bail plea of Saibaba.

Saibaba was arrested in 2014 by the Gadchiroli police for his alleged links with Maoists.

Reportedly, Roy termed her words in the article as "nasty", the court observed "Calling the government and police as being 'afraid' of the applicant, 'abductor' and 'thief', and the magistrate from a 'small town', demonstrate the surly, rude and boorish attitude of the author in a most tolerant country like India."

(With ANI inputs)