The Bombay High Court Yesterday (July 29) refused to cancel the FIR against a Pune woman who laughed at a WhatsApp message praising the Indian Army and shared offensive content about the PM and national flag. The court said her posts could harm national unity and refused to accept her apology or mental health claims.
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MAHARASHTRA: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to cancel the police case (FIR) against a woman from Pune who reacted with a laughing emoji to a message praising the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor in a local WhatsApp group.
Later, she also posted a video on her WhatsApp status showing the Prime Minister of India sitting on a rocket and the Indian National Flag burning.
The woman, Farah Deeba, had asked the court to quash the FIR filed against her. But the court refused, saying that her actions could harm national integrity and disturb peace in society.
The court found her actions to be serious enough to attract multiple charges under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), including:
- Section 152: Act endangering sovereignty and integrity
- Section 196: Promoting enmity between different groups
- Section 197: Imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration
- Section 352: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
- Section 353: Statements conducing to public mischief
A Bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Rajesh Patil, while dismissing her plea, said:
“In our view, the acts of the Petitioner, initially reacting with a laughing emoji, when others in the WhatsApp group were applauding the steps taken by the Indian Government and the Indian Army with respect to ‘Operation Sindoor’ and thereafter, she on her WhatsApp status, uploaded a video wherein the Prime Minister of India, has been shown as sitting on a rocket and the Indian National flag shown burning, attracts the provisions of Section 152 , 196 , 197 , 352 and 353 of the BNS 2023.”
The FIR was filed at Kalepadal Police Station in Pune, after a complaint by a member of Deeba’s own housing society. The complaint came from a WhatsApp group named ‘Sath Sath Margosa Ladies’, which had around 380 women residents of the Margosa Heights society in Pune.
According to the complaint, on May 7, members of the group had shared messages praising the Indian Army for a cross-border strike called ‘Operation Sindoor’. Farah Deeba replied with a laughing emoji to those messages. This reaction caused outrage among the members.
Later, she reportedly uploaded a Facebook video on her WhatsApp status showing the PM on a rocket and the national flag burning. She also allegedly used the term “Makkar” to refer to India and claimed that both her maternal and paternal families were from Pakistan. These posts caused unrest in the society, and residents held a protest demanding legal action.
In her defense, Deeba told the court that she was not in a stable mental condition when she made those posts. Her lawyer said she had apologized and deleted the content after realizing it hurt others. They also claimed she had already lost her teaching job due to the controversy.
However, the court rejected all her arguments. The judges said that even if she was mentally disturbed, as an educated person and a teacher, she should have thought about the possible consequences of posting such messages online.
The court stated:
“The intention of the petitioner becomes an essential ingredient to be judged with the kind of language she has used for India and more particularly when the whole country was feeling proud of our army. She could have probably avoided reacting with a laughing emoji, when others were celebrating the event of successful mission of the Indian Army of ‘Operation Sindoor’.”
The court also added:
“What is expected of a prudent person is that, before putting up any kind of message on social group, a person like the petitioner who is educated and teacher by profession should also think about the pros and cons which might occur due to sending online messages through her social media account (WhatsApp). In such a situation, she subsequently adopting a defence that, she has now realized those messages were controversial and posted them due to her deranged mental condition will not be helpful to her.”
The court cited a similar case heard by the Allahabad High Court, where a person was accused of misusing social media.
The Bombay High Court supported that view and made a strong statement:
“It has become a fashion among certain groups of people to misuse social media in the garb of ‘Freedom of Speech and Expression’ by making baseless allegations against high dignitaries, posting such material that creates hatred and disharmony among the people. Such actions are detrimental to national unity and public order. Such action shows disrespect not only against Prime Minister of country but also against the Indian Military and its officers. We are in agreement with the view taken by the Allahabad High Court in the case of Ashraf Khan.”
The court concluded that there was enough material to allow further investigation and refused to interfere before the police files a chargesheet.
- Advocate Harshad Sathe, instructed by Advocate Saurabh Bhutala, appeared for the petitioner Farah Deeba.
- Additional Public Prosecutor MM Deshmukh appeared on behalf of the State.
CASE TITLE:
Farah Deeba v State of Maharashtra.
What is Operation Sindoor?
Operation Sindoor was a highly coordinated military strike conducted by India on May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred on April 22, 2025. That terror attack claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including tourists, and prompted nationwide outrage.
Operation Sindoor specifically targeted terror camps and strategic installations located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian Armed Forces carried out the mission using a combination of Rafale fighter jets equipped with Scalp missiles, BrahMos cruise missiles, and SkyStriker loitering munitions, ensuring minimal collateral damage.
The mission was completed within approximately 23 minutes, marking it as one of the fastest and most efficient Indian military operations in recent history.
Meaning Behind the Name ‘Sindoor’
The operation was named “Sindoor” to symbolically honor the victims of terrorism, especially women like the widow of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who lost her husband in the Pahalgam attack. “Sindoor”, the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women, became a symbol of sacrifice and mourning.
The name reflected not just military retaliation but an emotional tribute to those who lost loved ones due to terrorism.
Key Highlights of Operation Sindoor
- Date: May 7, 2025
- Target: 9 terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK
- Casualties: Over 100 terrorists reportedly killed
- Assets Used: Rafale jets, BrahMos missiles, loitering drones
- Duration: Operation completed in under 23 minutes
- Damage to Pakistan: Estimated 20% reduction in Pakistan’s air capabilities
Statements from Indian Leadership
- The Prime Minister of India stated that “no global leader asked India to stop the operation,” reinforcing India’s independent and decisive stance on national security.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh remarked that “guns don’t win wars anymore,” pointing to the role of logistics, strategy, and timely execution in modern warfare.
- Anurag Thakur, speaking in Parliament, declared that Operation Sindoor “destroyed 20% of Pakistan’s Air Force capability”, underlining the effectiveness of the strike.
Why Operation Sindoor Matters
Operation Sindoor is considered a defining moment in India’s modern defense strategy. It marked a shift from defensive response to pre-emptive, calibrated deterrence. It showcased India’s growing military self-reliance, use of indigenous technology, and ability to strike with precision while maintaining strategic restraint.
The operation also sent a strong message to terror networks and their state sponsors that India would no longer tolerate attacks on its civilians or soldiers without swift and firm retaliation.
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