Chhattisgarh HC seeks action report on FIR over Prophet remarks

Bilaspur | Correspondent: The Chhattisgarh High Court has issued a notice to the respondent, Nazia Ilahi Khan a resident of Kolkata in connection with an FIR registered in Raipur regarding alleged offensive remarks made against Prophet Muhammad. Furthermore, the court has directed the state government to verify the specific actions taken in this matter and submit a report.

A division bench comprising Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas and Justice Sudhir Kumar issued these directions while hearing a criminal writ petition filed by Raipur resident Mohammad Bilal. The petitioner had alleged negligence and inaction on the part of the police following the registration of the case.

The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for December 7, 2026. In its order, the bench directed the state government to verify the steps taken pursuant to the FIR registered on June 29, 2026, at the Civil Lines police station under the Raipur Commissionerate and to inform the court accordingly.

The controversy stems from an FIR registered under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The petitioner, who serves as the national in-charge of the 'Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Action Trust', had filed a complaint on June 23, 2026. It was alleged that offensive statements against Prophet Muhammad were disseminated on social media via an Instagram account, hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.

According to the petition—filed through advocates Aamir Khan and Sitara Khan—the petitioner had submitted applications to senior police officials on July 8, July 13, and August 10, seeking updates on the investigation and requesting the preservation of electronic evidence.

However, upon receiving no substantive response, the petitioner approached the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petition further states that a separate FIR has already been registered regarding similar allegations on June 22, 2026, at the Shanti Nagar Police Station in Thane, Maharashtra, under Section 299 of the BNS and Section 67 of the IT Act. The petitioner has requested an impartial investigation, the preservation of digital evidence, and the submission of a status report on the investigation.