Punjab and Haryana HC quashes FIR of hurting religious sentiments against singer

The Punjab and Haryana HC has quashed a criminal case registered against a singer, Miss Pooja, and her associates, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments

The Punjab and Haryana high court has quashed a criminal case registered against a singer, Miss Pooja, and her associates, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. It was alleged that Yamraj was depicted as a drunk husband in her music video “Jiju” in 2018. In that video she is depicted beating up drunk husband carrying a “gada” (mace), who she imagined to be a Yamraj.

The bench further recorded, adding that it was evident that compact disc containing the song, was not even viewed by the magistrate. (Representational Photo (Shutterstock) )

The FIR was registered on the directions of a court in Rupanagar in April 2018 on the complaint of a lawyer under the Sections of 295-A, among others. Pooja and her associates were roped in as accused in the case. She had approached high court the same year.

The bench of justice Aman Chaudhary observed that considering the impugned order passed by the lower court “the reflection of application of mind is conspicuously missing therein, as evidently the magistrate had neither assimilated nor verified the truth and veracity of the allegations and merely mentioned that prima facie, an offence was made out, that too without even having watched the questioned song”. In such an act, there must be a malicious and deliberate attempt to outrage the religious feelings of one class, the bench further recorded, adding that it was evident that compact disc containing the song, was not even viewed by the magistrate, but still he reached the conclusion that the offence was made out and ordered registration of a criminal case.