Court shields cartoonist over controversial PM post
The Supreme Court has pulled up Indore-based cartoonist Hemant Malviya for sharing a cartoon about PM Modi and the RSS, calling it "inflammatory" and "immature."
The judges said this was an "abuse of freedom of speech" and ordered the post to be deleted.
Malviya's request for anticipatory bail was not granted immediately, with more court hearings set for Tuesday.
Court highlights need to distinguish satire from inflammatory content
The original 2021 cartoon resurfaced recently, sparking controversy over its comments.
Malviya's lawyer admitted it was "in poor taste" but argued it shouldn't be treated as a crime.
The court stressed that while free expression matters, it shouldn't cross into inciting hatred—and highlighted how important it is to tell satire apart from inflammatory content.
Malviya's legal troubles aren't over yet
After an RSS member filed a complaint in May 2025, Malviya now faces charges under new criminal laws and the IT Act.
He's agreed to delete the post, but his legal troubles aren't over yet—the Supreme Court will keep hearing his case on Tuesday.