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‘Hanuman’ remark row: No basis for FIR against Delhi CM, court told

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police informed a Delhi court on Thursday that no cognisable offence is made out to register an FIR against chief minister Rekha Gupta over her alleged remarks comparing government officials to Lord Hanuman

Published on: Oct 16, 2026, 07:37:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police informed a Delhi court on Thursday that no cognisable offence is made out to register an FIR against chief minister Rekha Gupta over her alleged remarks comparing government officials to Lord Hanuman.

The case originates from a complaint alleging that the CM compared Delhi government officials to Lord Hanuman (@BJP4Delhi)
The case originates from a complaint alleging that the CM compared Delhi government officials to Lord Hanuman (@BJP4Delhi)

The case originates from a complaint alleging that the CM’s remarks at a September 2025 event compared Delhi government officials to Lord Hanuman, saying they “remember their powers only when their ‘tail’ is set on fire, and otherwise, forget about them”.

The complainant, Ram Niwas Sharma, contended that the remarks warranted registration of an FIR and sought action against the chief minister. During the last hearing on October 3, a Delhi court sought an action taken report from police.

In a status report submitted before additional chief judicial magistrate Ashwini Panwar of Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday, the Delhi Police said it obtained and thoroughly scrutinised the complete official video recording and transcript of the event.

According to police, the unedited video demonstrates that the chief minister was actually praising the commitment, dedication, and working spirit of Delhi government employees, comparing them positively to Lord Hanuman.

“The speech reflected utmost respect for Lord Hanuman, noting that they were gathered at His gateway near Marghat Waale Baba and invoking His blessings for the success of the new transport initiatives,” police said.

The police report further noted that the complainant had “selectively omitted certain words and portions” with the deliberate intention of altering the context.

Furthermore, police emphasised that “no person in attendance raised any immediate objection or felt their religious sentiments were outraged”.

Terming the legal action an “orchestrated political vendetta” aimed at gaining media coverage and political advantage, police noted that Section 299 of the BNS strictly requires a “deliberate and malicious intention” to outrage religious feelings, which was entirely missing in this context.

Additionally, the status report pointed out that the “complaint lacked specifics detailing how and when the complainant personally suffered immediate injury or impact, especially given an unexplained delay of roughly three days in filing the initial police representations”.

The court has listed the matter for further hearing on October 29.

  • Arnabjit Sur
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Arnabjit Sur

    Arnabjit Sur is a Senior Correspondent with Hindustan Times who primarily covers stories from the capital's trial courts. Previously, he has worked for English dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express and Millennium Post, where he has focused on crime and legal stories, especially incorporating both the subjects into producing long-form investigative work. Known for his penchant for minutely tracking high-profile cases with both city and national relevance, he has broken several chargesheets and police remand papers in his six-year-long career. In this present role, he uses his expertise in skimming through lengthy judgements, attending and analysing court hearings and converting them into a lucid, readable format for seamless news consumption. He has a preference for looking beyond the courtroom to highlight their human impact.Read More

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