RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court has quashed an FIR and subsequent criminal proceedings against two Assam residents accused of posting derogatory content against the Chhattisgarh Governor on social media, after they tendered an unconditional apology and agreed to remove the objectionable material from all digital platforms.
The petitioners, Pranab Kalita and Lakshyadhar Rajbongshi, had faced criminal proceedings after allegedly sharing a cartoon accompanied by captions in Assamese on their Facebook accounts. Following a complaint by Lok Bhavan officials, police registered FIR No. 232/2026 at Civil Lines police station in Raipur, alleging that the posts were defamatory, harmed the Governor’s public image and had the potential to create animosity between communities in Chhattisgarh and Assam.
Police subsequently filed a chargesheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Raipur. The duo then approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and criminal proceedings.
During the proceedings on August 14, the petitioners expressed their willingness to tender an unconditional apology, delete all objectionable posts from digital platforms and take steps to withdraw a retaliatory FIR registered in Assam.
Senior Advocate Manoj Goel, appearing for the state government, initially opposed the plea, submitting that the alleged act was unpardonable. However, the state later agreed to a compromise after the petitioners submitted affidavits containing an unconditional apology on August 19.
Accepting the compromise, the High Court exercised its powers under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and quashed the criminal proceedings, while making the relief subject to strict compliance with the agreed conditions.
The petitioners were directed to submit an unconditional written apology before the High Court and publish it on the same Facebook accounts with the same prominence given to the original posts. They were also directed to publish the apology in designated daily newspapers in Guwahati.
The court further directed the petitioners to permanently remove the objectionable content from all digital platforms under their control and furnish an undertaking that they would not repeat such conduct. They were also required to take necessary steps for withdrawal of the retaliatory FIR registered in Assam.
The High Court directed the petitioners to comply with all the conditions immediately, observing that acceptance of the compromise would help protect the dignity of the constitutional office while minimising the impact of the allegedly objectionable publication.
