The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a stern observation against journalist Rana Ayyub, describing certain social media posts made by her as “highly derogatory, inflammatory, and communal.” Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the matter, directed the Central Government, Delhi Police, and social media platform X to “work in tandem” to take necessary action regarding the content within a 24-hour window.
The court’s intervention comes in response to a petition filed by Amita Sachdeva, a self-described devout follower of Sanatan Dharm. Sachdeva alleged that Ayyub’s tweets insulted Hindu deities and revered historical figures, causing direct injury to her religious sentiments and violating her constitutional rights under Articles 21 (Right to Life and Liberty) and 25 (Freedom of Religion).
During the hearing, Justice Kaurav noted that a magisterial court had already directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Ayyub. Highlighting the gravity of the allegations, the High Court sought a formal stand from the journalist and issued notices to the Centre and X.
“Let the matter be called day after. Action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets by respondent no. 4 (Ayyub), pursuant to which FIR has also been directed against respondent no. 4 by a court of competent jurisdiction,” the court stated in its order.
The court also formally impleaded the Delhi Police as a party to the case to ensure the directions for coordination are implemented.
The controversy stems from posts allegedly made between 2016 and 2017. In January 2025, a magisterial court observed that the facts of the case prima facie disclosed cognizable offences under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- Section 153A: Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, or birth.
- Section 295A: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
- Section 505: Statements conducing to public mischief.
The petitioner, Sachdeva, moved the High Court after her attempts to have the content removed through X’s resident grievance officer and the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) were unsuccessful. The GAC had previously declined to grant relief, citing that the matter was sub-judice.
The petitioner argued that the “continued public availability” of the posts constituted a persistent violation of her fundamental rights. By setting a 24-hour deadline for the authorities to “do the needful,” the Delhi High Court has underscored the urgency of addressing content deemed to incite religious disharmony.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on Friday, where the court will review the actions taken by the Delhi Police, the Centre, and X in response to the order.
