The Delhi Police said no cognisable offence was made out, and a Delhi court has now dismissed the complaint seeking an FIR against CM Rekha Gupta over her remark likening government officials to Lord Hanuman.
New Delhi: A complaint over a remark comparing government officials to Lord Hanuman, made at an official programme in September 2025, was dismissed by a Delhi court on Friday, November 6, 2026, which declined to order registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta [Ram Niwas Sharma v. Rekha Gupta].
The order was passed by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwani Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts on a complaint filed by Ram Niwas Sharma under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The detailed order is not yet available.
The police report before the court
Before deciding the plea, the court had, on October 3, 2026, asked the Station House Officer of Kashmere Gate police station for a report. In its action taken report, the Delhi Police told the court that no cognisable offence was made out against the Chief Minister. The police said that the speech, viewed in its entirety, reflected appreciation for government employees and respect for the deity.
With Friday’s order, the court has declined to direct registration of an FIR on the complaint.
What the complainant alleged
The complaint concerned words the Chief Minister allegedly used on September 23, 2025, at a government programme at ISBT Kashmere Gate marking the start of Delhi Transport Corporation bus services from Delhi to Baraut in Uttar Pradesh. According to the complainant, she said that government officials exercise their power only when their “tail catches fire,” which he read as a comparison with Lord Hanuman.
He alleged that the remark hurt the religious sentiments of devotees and sought action under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
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Why the order matters
Complaints alleging hurt religious sentiments over speeches by public figures are frequent, and courts are often asked to order FIRs on them. The order shows a Magistrate relying on the police assessment of the full speech, rather than a single phrase taken out of context, before deciding whether criminal law should be set in motion. The complainant retains whatever remedies the law allows against the dismissal.
Case Title: Ram Niwas Sharma v. Rekha Gupta
Court: Rouse Avenue Courts, Delhi (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar)
Date of Order: November 6, 2026
Result: Complaint dismissed
