New Delhi, Oct 15 Delhi police on Thursday submitted a status report in a court here in response to a complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over alleged remarks against government officials, saying there was no basis for lodging a case as there was no cognisable offence.
“No cognisable offence is made out, and no basis for registration of an FIR is disclosed,” the reply said.
Earlier on October 3, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar had sought a status report from the station house officer (SHO) of Kashmere Gate police station, saying that according to the complainant, Gupta made the remarks on September 23, 2025, during an official government programme for the launch of DTC bus services from Delhi to Baraut in Uttar Pradesh at the Kashmiri Gate ISBT.
The magistrate had noted the complainant’s allegation that during the public address, while purportedly threatening and admonishing government officials for not working systematically, the proposed accused (Gupta) made the following statement (or words to the same effect): “These Hanumans remember their temporary powers only when their tail catches fire; before that, they forget it.”
On Thursday, the reply before the court said, “The complete video shows that the CM was praising the work, commitment and performance of Delhi Government employees and was appreciating their dedication and working spirit by comparing them positively with Lord Hanuman Ji. The overall tenor of the speech is appreciative, and the CM was encouraging the government officials…”
It said that the words referred to in the complaint, when heard in the complete video and not in isolation, do not show that the chief minister was ridiculing Lord Hanuman, insulting the deity or the religious beliefs of devotees, or intending to hurt or outrage their religious feelings, in any manner.
“It would be pertinent to mention herein that after watching the entire video, it appears that the complainant has selectively omitted certain words and portions of the video at various places with the deliberate intention of distorting the context and presenting the facts differently, but even then, the said lines or phrases are not insulting the deity or the religious beliefs of devotees…,” the reply said.
According to the reply, the complainant deliberately omitted Gupta’s words of praise and respect for the officials, and instead gave a different colour, contour and context.
“It is further pertinent to mention that complainant Ramniwas Sharma has described himself in the complaint as chairman, RTI department DPCC (Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee), and as national vice president of All India Seemanchal Jan Vikash Parishad; hence, this complaint appears to be an orchestrated political vendetta,” the reply said.
It said that law requires that a person act with a deliberate and malicious intention to outrage the religious feelings of a class of citizens and, by words or other specified means, insult or attempt to insult the religion or religious beliefs of that class.
“The statutory requirements are not satisfied merely because a particular selective expression is alleged to have caused hurt; the words and their context must disclose an insult or an attempt to insult, accompanied by the deliberate and malicious intention required,” the reply said.
It said that the complainant failed to show how and when he was hurt and what was the immediate impact of the said hurt, especially when the complaint is filed by the complainant after an unexplained delay of around three days.
“In the present matter, the complete video shows appreciation of the work and commitment of government employees and praises Lord Hanuman for being so mighty and powerful,” the reply said.
It said the entire crowd was applauding and raising positive slogans multiple times during the speech.
“In view of the above enquiry and the complete context appearing from the video recording, no cognisable offence is made out, and no basis for registration of an FIR is disclosed,” the reply said.
In its order, the court said, “In compliance with the previous order, a status report has been filed by Sub-Inspector Mukesh Tomer, duly forwarded by the SHO, police station Kashmere Gate.”
The court noted that a transcript of the speech and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BNS) certificate regarding certification and admissibility of electronic records had also been submitted.
“At this stage, counsel for the complainant seeks time to file an objection or reply to the status report filed by the police. Granted. Be put up for filing of objection, reply, further proceedings on October 29,” the court said.
(PTI News)
