UP court dismisses case against singer Neha Singh Rathore for posts about Pahalgam attack

A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya on Tuesday dismissed a criminal complaint filed against Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore for her social media posts about the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, Live Law reported.

Ekta Singh, additional civil judge (senior division) and Ayodhya additional chief judicial magistrate, said the complaint against Rathore was not maintainable. She added that the complainant had no locus to file it.

The complaint against the singer was filed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita section that allows magistrates to take cognisance of offences, according to Live Law.

The complaint alleged that Rathore falsely linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the Pahalgam attack to incite public unrest and gain electoral advantage.

Rathore’s “false and illegal” remarks created nationwide unrest, the complainant alleged, adding that it had pushed the country towards civil war. The singer’s acts amounted to sedition and constituted a cognisable offence, according to the complainant.

Her remarks also maligned the image of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, said the complainant.

On Tuesday, the judge referred to Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Section 222(2), pertaining to prosecution for defamation.

Under this section, the sessions court may directly take cognisance of a written complaint filed by a public prosecutor if defamation is...

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