The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition to quash a First Information Report (FIR) registered against one Mumtaz Mansoori of Jaunpur for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central ministers, reported NDTV.

While dismissing the plea, the bench comprising Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rajendra Kumar-IV reportedly observed, "Although the Constitution of this country recognises freedom of speech of every citizen, but such right does not extend to hurling abuses or making derogatory remarks against any citizen much less the prime minister or other ministers of the government of India."

An FIR was lodged against Masoori in 2020, for making derogatory remarks against the PM, the Union Home minister and other ministers on social media. He has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act (punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form). As per the Times of India, subsequent to this, a criminal case was registered against Mansoori at Meerganj police station of Jaunpur.

“The FIR clearly discloses commissioning of a cognisable offence. We find no good ground to interfere in the present writ petition filed with a prayer to quash such a first information report,” said the court, reported Scroll. The bench directed the police to proceed with the matter in accordance with the law and to conclude the investigation against Mansoori.

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