5 min readNew DelhiMar 18, 2026 12:23 PM ISTThe material prima facie supports the allegations that the petitioner is impersonating as an advocate and cheating the public. (Image is generated using AI)Punjab and Haryana High Court news: Emphasising that courts must strike a balance between safeguarding individual liberties and protecting broader social interests, the Punjab and Haryana High Court denied anticipatory bail to a law student accused of posting derogatory remarks about Lord Hanuman and hurting the religious sentiments. Justice Sumeet Goel was hearing a law student’s plea seeking anticipatory bail based on the ground that the complaint against him for hurting Hindu religious sentiment was concocted and had no merit, denying association with the offence. “While considering a plea for grant of anticipatory bail, the court has to equilibrate between safeguarding individual rights and protecting societal interests. The court ought to reckon with the magnitude and nature of the offence; the role attributed to the accused; the need for fair and free investigation as also the deeper and wide impact of such alleged iniquities on the society,” the order noted on March 16. The court has to equilibrate between safeguarding individual rights and protecting societal interests.The court observed that the material placed on record and the preliminary investigation “appear to establish a reasonable basis for the accusations”.Intentionally posted malicious remarks: CourtAs per the version put forth by the prosecution and upon perusal of the impugned order, it is borne out that the petitioner has specifically been mentioned in the FIR.The petitioner has intentionally posted malicious and derogatory messages regarding the Hindu God ‘Bajrang Bali Hanuman’ on his Facebook account with the intent to insult and outrage the religious sentiments of Hindus. The petitioner also posted objectionable messages targeting a particular caste with the intention to hurt and insult the sentiments of members of that caste community. The said posts have already been taken into possession during the course of investigation, and prima facie support the allegations levelled in the FIR against the petitioner. Petitioner cheated public Admittedly, the petitioner is still pursuing his LL.B. from Mahatma Jyotibha Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly and therefore is not legally entitled to practice as an advocate. The material prima facie supports the allegations that the petitioner is impersonating as an advocate and cheating the public. There has been no demonstration of a cause from which it can be deciphered that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in the present FIR. While considering a plea for grant of anticipatory bail, the court has to equilibrate between safeguarding individual rights and protecting societal interests.Needs of society The court ought to reckon with the magnitude and nature of the offence; the role attributed to the accused; the need for fair and free investigation, as also the deeper and wider impact of such alleged iniquities on society. It is imperative that every person in society can expect an atmosphere free from foreboding & fear of any transgression. The material on record and preliminary investigation establishes a reasonable basis for the allegation.Anticipatory bail deniedIt is not appropriate to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner, as it would necessarily cause an impediment in effective investigation. In view of the gravity of the allegations, the role attributed to the petitioner, and the necessity of custodial interrogation for a fair and thorough investigation, the petitioner does not deserve the concession of anticipatory bail.Custodial interrogation of the petitioner is necessary for an effective investigation & to unravel the truth.FIR with no meritAdvocate Raman Kumar for the petitioner argued that the FIR was concocted and had no merit. He submitted that the petitioner was falsely implicated in the FIR and had nothing to do with the offence. It was contended that nothing was recovered from the petitioner.Kumar submitted that the petitioner was ready to join the investigation, and no useful purpose in sending him behind bars.Imperative interrogation The state, through deputy advocate general Yashpal Singla, opposed the grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner by arguing that the offence committed by the petitioner is serious in nature.It was argued that there existed a likelihood that the petitioner may abscond or tamper with the evidence if he was enlarged on bail.He submitted that the custodial interrogation of the petitioner is imperative for the purpose of effective and fair investigation and to unearth the case of the prosecution.He contended that the petitioner is falsely portraying himself as an Advocate and practising in courts without possessing the requisite qualification and without being enrolled with anyBar Council.BackgroundThe petitioner allegedly posted content on social media concerning Lord Bajrang Bali Hanuman, which, according to the complainant, was intended to outrage the religious sentiments of Hindus and insult their deity.The complainant alleged that his religious sentiments, along with those of other members of the Hindu community. The police registered an FIR on September 1, 2023 under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indina Penal Code (IPC), aside from Sections 299 (outraging religious feelings), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups, religious, racial, regional, etc.), 318 (cheating as dishonestly or fraudulently inducing a person to deliver property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).Somya Panwar works with the Legal Desk at The Indian Express, where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights. She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life. Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach. Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More © IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Punjab and Haryana High Court