The Karnataka High Court has quashed an FIR registered against dietician Afeefa Fathima, who was booked over social media posts allegedly containing derogatory remarks against Hindus and anti-India sentiments. The court accepted her petition after she filed a sworn affidavit expressing regret over any offence caused by her posts and undertaking not to repeat such conduct, as reported in OpIndia.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while hearing Fathima’s criminal petition seeking to quash the proceedings initiated against her, according to a report by Law Beat.
Court Accepts Affidavit, Quashes FIR
The 24-year-old petitioner submitted an affidavit stating that she would refrain from making similar posts in the future and expressed regret over any misunderstanding or offence caused by her online remarks.
Taking the affidavit into account, the High Court quashed the FIR.
“In the light of the affidavit, I deem it appropriate to obliterate the crime with a direction to the petitioner that all the posts that are now in her account, which would depict such action shall be deleted,” Justice Nagaprasanna observed.
The court also recorded the assurance given by her counsel that the controversial posts would be removed from her social media accounts.
However, the court cautioned that any future violation would be dealt with seriously.
“It is needless to observe that any breach of the undertaking in the affidavit will be viewed seriously,” the court said.
Petitioner Cites Hardship, Denies Hate Speech
Fathima had approached the High Court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), seeking to quash the criminal proceedings.
In her plea, she argued that allowing the investigation to continue would cause “serious prejudice and irreparable hardship,” particularly because it could lead to coercive investigative measures such as the seizure of her electronic devices.
While expressing regret through her affidavit, she maintained that she had not engaged in hate speech or intentionally attempted to hurt religious or national sentiments.
“I submit that I have the highest regard and respect for all religions, communities, and the sovereignty and integrity of India. However, if any alleged post or content has been perceived by any person as offensive or has caused any misunderstanding, I sincerely regret the same,” the affidavit stated.
She further undertook to exercise greater caution while using social media in the future.
“I shall use social media platforms with the utmost care and caution in the future and guarantee that no such situation giving rise to similar allegations shall recur on account of my conduct,” she stated.
The High Court recorded the undertaking before quashing the FIR pending before the JMFC II Court in Mangaluru.
Posts Went Viral After Pahalgam Terror Attack
The controversy dates back to last year, when Fathima’s social media posts went viral following the killing of 25 Hindu tourists in Pahalgam in a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in April 2025.
Among the posts widely circulated online were the statements:
“Help stinky Hindus are behind me”
and
“am I an Indian? Yes. do I hate India? yes.”
The posts triggered widespread outrage on social media.
At the time, Fathima was employed at Highland Hospital. Following the public backlash, the hospital terminated her employment.
The hospital’s Human Resources department also lodged a complaint, leading to the registration of a case at the Pandeshwar Police Station under Sections 196(1)(a) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds including religion and public mischief.
Separately, Satish Kumar, a resident of Ullal, filed another complaint at the Konaje Police Station in Mangaluru City, Dakshina Kannada district, resulting in a second FIR against Fathima.
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