'Directed at Delhi govt officials': Court dismisses plea seeking FIR against CM Rekha Gupta over Lord Hanuman remark

allegedly comparing Delhi government officials to Lord Hanuman.Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar dismissed the application filed by complainant Ram Niwas Sharma, observing that Gupta's remarks appeared to be directed at the officials and their performance."The comparison between the officials of the Delhi government and Lord Hanuman by the speaker appears to be directed towards the officials and their performance, and at this stage, it can be said that the material does not prima facie disclose the deliberate and malicious intention to insult religion or religious beliefs, an essential ingredient of Section 299 of the BNS," the court said in its order, referring to Gupta.Sharma had sought registration of an FIR under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.The magistrate further noted that Gupta's speech was already on record and, therefore, did not require a police investigation to obtain evidence that was readily accessible to the complainant.Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines "The speech delivered by the serving CM... on September 23, 2025 during an official government function organised at Kashmere Gate ISBT, Delhi, for inaugurating DTC bus services from Delhi to Baraut (Uttar Pradesh), which is the genesis of the present complaint, was also procured by the police from the Directorate of Information and Publicity and has been filed on record along with the Action Taken Report," the court said.

"The identity of the speaker, date, venue and words complained of are ascertainable from the material already collected and placed on record.

No specific evidence which is beyond the reach of the complainant or which necessarily requires police investigation has been identified/highlighted by the complainant," it added.The Delhi Police had submitted a report on October 15, stating that there were no grounds to register a case as no cognisable offence was made out.(With PTI inputs)