New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore in connection with an FIR filed in Uttar Pradesh over her allegedly objectionable social media posts about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pahalgam terror attack.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar issued notice on Rathore’s special leave petition (SLP) challenging the Allahabad High Court’s December 5, 2025, order rejecting her anticipatory bail plea. The court sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant who filed the FIR.
The apex court posted the matter for further hearing after eight weeks and directed that no coercive action be taken against Rathore in the meantime. However, the Bench clarified that she must cooperate with the investigation and appear before the Investigating Officer whenever summoned, starting January 19, cautioning that failure to appear would be viewed seriously.
During the hearing, Uttar Pradesh Police accused Rathore of non-cooperation, but her counsel stated that she had appeared before the Investigating Officer last week.
The FIR, lodged at Hazratganj police station, Lucknow, was filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 196, 197, 152, 302, and 353, as well as Section 69(a) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, following a complaint by Abhay Pratap Singh alias Nirbheek.
The complainant alleged that Rathore, through her X handle, made continuous objectionable posts that could adversely affect national integrity, promote disharmony between communities, and were circulated widely, including in Pakistan.
In its decision, the Allahabad High Court observed that Rathore’s tweets and posts were made at a “crucial and sensitive time” following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed, and held that the posts prima facie targeted the Prime Minister in a disrespectful manner.
The High Court added, “Although Article 19 of the Constitution of India gives the right of freedom to all citizens, the same is subject to reasonable restriction for public order, decency, or morality,” noting that the FIR and case diary indicated that Rathore’s posts had the potential to disturb public order.
Rejecting her anticipatory bail plea, the single-judge Bench of Justice Brij Raj Singh observed that Rathore was not cooperating with the investigation despite earlier directions, and held that no case for anticipatory bail was made out.
With IANS inputs