Second FIR Against Folk Singer Neha Singh Rathore In Lucknow Over Alleged Communal Social Media Posts

Lucknow: Varanasi Police, investigating a case against folk singer Neha Singh Rathore, visited her apartment in Lucknow's Sushant Golf City but found the premises locked. A notice was pasted on the door. The police action follows the registration of an FIR at Lanka Police Station in Varanasi, which was filed after over 500 complaints were submitted by BJP workers and Hindu organizations across 15 police stations in the city. The complaints pertained to a song where the singer was allegedly accused of referring to the Prime Minister in an objectionable manner.

A separate case is also registered against Rathore in Lucknow. The Hazratganj Police filed an FIR based on a complaint alleging that her social media posts following the Pahalgam terror attack were intended to spread enmity between two communities and disrupt national integrity. The complainant also claimed the posts were widely shared in Pakistan and used by its media to criticize India.

Following the registration of the FIRs, Rathore had approached the Allahabad High Court, which dismissed her petition, stating that an investigation into the facts of the FIR was necessary. The Supreme Court subsequently declined to grant her any interim relief, upholding the police's right to investigate, while allowing her the liberty to challenge the charges during the trial or discharge proceedings.