Sedition case against folk singer Neha Singh for ‘objectionable posts’ on Pahalgam terror attack

Lucknow police reportedly registered a case of sedition against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore over a complaint that her “provocative” social media posts in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy could harm the nation's unity.

The complainant referred to the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, by terrorists on April 22.

The complainant, Abhay Pratap Singh, was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, “In this situation, singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her Twitter (now X) handle @nehafolksinger made some objectionable posts that can adversely affect the national integrity and made repeated efforts to incite one community against another based on religion.”

The complaint was registered at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against the folk singer on multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempting to promote sectarian animosity, disturbing public tranquillity and endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, police said, adding that she has also been booked under the Information Technology Act.

While the BNS does not explicitly mention sedition as was specified in the now-scrapped Indian Penal Code Section 124A, the new criminal code deals with similar charges of endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country under section 152.

'Can a lawyer help me?'

In a post on X, Neha Singh Rathore sought help to pay a lawyer's fee. She said, "An FIR has been filed against me in Lucknow...Can a lawyer help me? I don't have money to pay the lawyer's fees. I have only ₹519 in my...bank account, out of which I will give ₹500 to the tabla player and record a new song tomorrow."

Neha Singh's post that triggered row

In her X post dated April 23, Rathore alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was running politics on the grounds of caste and religion.

She even alleged the BJP government of "collecting votes in the name of Pulwama attack" and said that “the same will be repeated in case of Pahalgam attack," ANI reported.

On April 26, she posted, "I will say this again and again that if Bihar elections are fought on the issue of Pahalgam, then Bihar's own issues will be sidelined."

(With inputs from agencies)