Arrest warrant against Mahua Moitra for skipping summons; MP to challenge court order

On Wednesday, a Krishnanagar court issued an immediate arrest warrant for Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra due to her failure to comply with summonses in a hate speech case. The court noted that Moitra had not appeared at four hearing dates between August 4 and 19, exhibiting a "lackadaisical approach" to court orders. In response, Moitra vowed to challenge the order in a higher court, stating she wanted to be represented by her lawyer, who was unable to attend due to a boycott by the Krishnanagar Bar Association.

She claimed she filed for a certified copy of the complaint on August 13, but the boycott continued, preventing advocates from appearing at subsequent hearings. Her lawyer expressed concern over potential public harassment if she appeared in court. The 'hate speech' case originated from a complaint filed on June 17 by Chaina Nandi alleging that Moitra insulted the modesty of a woman, promoted enmity between groups, outraged religious feelings, and engaged in criminal intimidation related to certain religious beliefs and symbols.