<p>The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered immediate release of BJP youth wing leader Priyanka Sharma, arrested for posting a meme on TMC chief Mamata Banerjee but she has to give a written apology.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said the 26-year-old leader shall be released immediately. However, she has to tender an apology, possibly to Mamata Banerjee.</p>.<p>Sharma's counsel senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, for her part, contended tendering an apology on meme, and on evolving caricature would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech. Hundreds of memes are prepared and posted on politicians everyday on the social media, he said.</p>.<p>The bench, however, said, "Freedom of speech is non-negotiable but it ends if it infringed somebody's right."</p>.<p>"There is no equality to two wrongs. We are not putting any condition. But she has to apologise," the bench said.</p>.<p>Priyanka was arrested on Friday for posting on her Facebook a photo in which Mamata Banerjee's face was photoshopped on the form of actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas at MET Gala in New York.</p>.<p>On Monday, her brother Rajib Sharma moved a habeas corpus petition seeking her release.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, Sharma's counsel said it was a "shocking" case where she was arrested for posting a meme on Facebook. She had deleted the post before she was arrested.</p>.<p>The court said it can order her release on tendering an apology. It asked the counsel to take instructions. </p>.<p>But the counsel said she was in judicial custody for 14 days and can't give an instruction.</p>.<p>"Meme was a kind of political speech and evolving caricature. If everybody has to give an apology, it would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech," he said.</p>.<p>"Whatever is the picture, because you are a member of BJP, it can be taken as otherwise," the bench said, adding she should apologise.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered immediate release of BJP youth wing leader Priyanka Sharma, arrested for posting a meme on TMC chief Mamata Banerjee but she has to give a written apology.</p>.<p>A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said the 26-year-old leader shall be released immediately. However, she has to tender an apology, possibly to Mamata Banerjee.</p>.<p>Sharma's counsel senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, for her part, contended tendering an apology on meme, and on evolving caricature would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech. Hundreds of memes are prepared and posted on politicians everyday on the social media, he said.</p>.<p>The bench, however, said, "Freedom of speech is non-negotiable but it ends if it infringed somebody's right."</p>.<p>"There is no equality to two wrongs. We are not putting any condition. But she has to apologise," the bench said.</p>.<p>Priyanka was arrested on Friday for posting on her Facebook a photo in which Mamata Banerjee's face was photoshopped on the form of actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas at MET Gala in New York.</p>.<p>On Monday, her brother Rajib Sharma moved a habeas corpus petition seeking her release.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, Sharma's counsel said it was a "shocking" case where she was arrested for posting a meme on Facebook. She had deleted the post before she was arrested.</p>.<p>The court said it can order her release on tendering an apology. It asked the counsel to take instructions. </p>.<p>But the counsel said she was in judicial custody for 14 days and can't give an instruction.</p>.<p>"Meme was a kind of political speech and evolving caricature. If everybody has to give an apology, it would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech," he said.</p>.<p>"Whatever is the picture, because you are a member of BJP, it can be taken as otherwise," the bench said, adding she should apologise.</p>
