Folk Singer Neha Singh Rathore Faces Legal Action for Anti-Government Social Media Posts

The Allahabad High Court has refused to dismiss an FIR against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore, who allegedly made derogatory statements about India's Prime Minister and Home Minister. The court upheld that freedom of speech has limits, prompting Rathore to cooperate in the investigation regarding her posts after an attack in Pahalgam.

The Allahabad High Court has decided not to quash an FIR filed against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore for allegedly posting derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the BJP on social media. The court highlighted that while the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, it is subject to reasonable restrictions.

This case relates to Rathore's posts following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. The court's bench of Justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Syed Qamar Hasan Rizvi assessed the FIR and associated materials, concluding they indicated a cognisable offence mandating police inquiry.

Rathore's plea to annul the FIR and avoid arrest was dismissed on September 19 as 'misconceived.' She is instructed to cooperate with the authorities and has been summoned for questioning on September 26. The court noted that her posts, which surfaced after the incident, allegedly had religious and electoral undertones and were widely shared on social media, particularly drawing attention in Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)