P&H High Court junks plea demanding FIR against Kangana Ranaut for tweets stating that beef consumption is not wrong [Read Order]

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition seeking the registration of an FIR against actor Kangana Ranaut for her tweets allegedly promoting the consumption of beef..Last year, the actor's Twitter account carried a tweet which stated that the actor did not think the consumption of beef to be wrong, though she herself was a vegetarian..Dismissing the petitioner's averments that the tweet outraged the religious feelings of a certain section of people, Justice Manoj Bajpai found the petition to be devoid of merit. The Judge observed:."A perusal of the alleged post (...) does not prima facie suggest that it amounts to commission of an offence punishable under Section 295-A IPC, in any manner. On the contrary, the post describes the person as vegetarian, therefore, it cannot be construed at all, that it promotes consumption of beef much less by way of an advice."Punjab and Haryana High Court.Rubbishing the petitioner's other prayer that his life was in danger because of his efforts to get an FIR registered against Ranaut, the Court said: ."... the complaints/representations given by the petitioner also lack all kinds of particulars as no averment regarding threat to the petitioner or his family has been pleaded. It has not at all been described as to how and in what manner the alleged threat was extended to him.".Describing the petition as vague and misconceived, the petition was dismissed..The petitioner, Navneet Gopi, had alleged that Ranaut's Twitter post were offensive to the religious sensibilities of a particular community and were punishable under penal law (Section 295-A IPC). .His earlier attempts to get an FIR filed against the actor for offences under the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, Sections 66 and 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 with Section 295-A Indian Penal Code, 1860 were unsuccessful..The Judge finding that the offences alleged were not prima facie disclosed from Ranaut's tweets, proceeded to dismiss the petition..Read the Order here: