Academic excellence can't quash FIR on 'Sindoor' post: Bombay HC
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has refused to quash a First Information Report (FIR) against a 19-year-old engineering student from Pune. The FIR was filed after the student reposted an objectionable social media post related to Operation Sindoor. The court observed that being a bright student cannot be grounds for quashing criminal proceedings.
Incident details
Student shared post about Operation Sindoor
The FIR was registered by the Kondhwa Police Station on May 9 after the student, a fourth-semester engineering student at Sinhagad Academy of Engineering, shared an Instagram post about Operation Sindoor. She deleted the post within two hours and apologized, claiming no intention to disturb law and order. Despite her apology and academic performance, her plea to quash the FIR was rejected by a bench comprising Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad.
Legal proceedings
Police report sought by court
When the student's lawyer, Advocate Amin Solkar, argued there was no mens rea involved, the court replied, "mens rea is irrelevant." The court has now sought a police report from Kondhwa Police Station and directed Public Prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh to submit the case diary in a sealed cover for review. The case will be heard again on October 3.
Arrest controversy
Educational career jeopardized
The student's plea also claimed her arrest was illegal as she wasn't informed of the grounds for her arrest and was picked up after sunset. Her educational career was jeopardized when she was rusticated from the college following her arrest. However, another bench of the High Court later granted her bail, set aside her rustication, and allowed her to appear for exams. The case against the student was registered by a police constable.