New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore in connection with an FIR lodged 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 order denying her anticipatory bail, and sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government as well as the complainant at whose instance the criminal case was registered.
Posting the matter for further hearing after eight weeks, the apex court directed that no coercive steps be taken against her in the meantime.
However, the Justice Maheshwari-led Bench clarified that Rathore must cooperate with the investigation and appear before the Investigating Officer whenever summoned, beginning January 19, cautioning that any failure to appear would be viewed seriously.
During the hearing, Uttar Pradesh Police accused Rathore of non-cooperation, but her counsel countered that she had appeared before the Investigating Officer last week.
The SLP filed before the Supreme Court challenged the Allahabad High Court’s December 5, 2025, order rejecting her anticipatory bail plea in a case registered at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.
The FIR was lodged 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 impugned decision, the Allahabad High Court observed that the tweets and posts attributed to Rathore 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”.
“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,” the Allahabad High Court said, adding that the FIR and case diary indicated that the posts were against the Prime Minister and had the potential to disturb public order.
Rejecting her plea, the single-judge Bench of Justice Brij Raj Singh noted that Rathore was “not cooperating with the investigation” despite earlier directions, and held that no case for anticipatory bail was made out.
(IANS)
