Chhattisgarh High Court takes suo motu action after DSP’s wife’s birthday celebration on blue-beacon car goes viral, sparking public outrage over misuse of official vehicle and traffic violations.
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CHHATTISGARH: The Chhattisgarh High Court, while hearing a suo motu PIL initiated after a June 19, 2025 viral video showed the DSP’s wife birthday bash on the bonnet of a beacon-fitted XUV 700 near an Ambikapur hotel, has directed the Chief Secretary to file a personal affidavit.
The Court, a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, expressed serious concern over the misuse of a blue beacon on a private vehicle, the public nuisance caused by the dangerous road obstruction, and especially the inadequate FIR.
A viral video from Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur district has triggered not only public anger but also judicial intervention, after it showed the wife of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) celebrating her birthday atop a beacon-fitted police vehicle.
The video, shot on June 19, 2025, near a hotel in Ambikapur, captured scenes of the woman sitting on the bonnet of an XUV 700 fitted with a blue beacon, reportedly the DSP’s official vehicle, cutting a birthday cake while her friends cheered around her. Others were seen dangerously leaning out of the vehicle’s sunroof and doors, turning a moment of celebration into a spectacle of blatant disregard for public safety and the law.
The viral clip sparked widespread condemnation over the misuse of official symbols and state authority for personal indulgence. In response, the Saragwan police registered an FIR against the driver of the vehicle under Sections 177, 184, and 281 of the Motor Vehicles Act, relating to minor violations, reckless driving, and endangerment to public safety.
However, controversy deepened when the FIR failed to name any of the individuals seen in the video, instead referring only to an “unknown driver,” despite the footage identifying the participants.
Taking cognizance of the issue, the Chhattisgarh High Court initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and held a hearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru.
The court expressed serious concern over three key aspects: the misuse of a blue beacon on what appeared to be a private celebration, the dangerous obstruction of public roads, and the glaring inadequacy of the police response through an incomplete FIR.
The High Court ordered the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh to submit a personal affidavit, seeking detailed explanations on multiple fronts. The affidavit must clarify the legal basis under which the vehicle bore a blue beacon, the preventive steps taken to curb such public safety violations following earlier similar incidents, and a justification for why the FIR failed to name known individuals.
The Bench also noted that this was not the first time such an incident had occurred, referencing similar violations that had continued despite prior court directions issued in January 2025.
Political voices too have weighed in. The Congress party in Chhattisgarh criticized the incident as a clear abuse of privilege and power, urging that public servants and their families be held to higher standards of accountability. The episode has reignited public debate over the unchecked use of state symbols and entitlements for personal benefit and the culture of impunity that often surrounds individuals connected to power.
As the case now awaits a follow-up hearing, the court’s stern intervention signals a clear intent to ensure that the rule of law prevails, regardless of the social standing of those involved. This episode serves as a sharp reminder of the need for public servants and their associates to uphold legal norms, not just in duty but in daily conduct.
