Allahabad HC Quashes Criminal Proceedings Against Salman Khurshid For His Remarks Against UP CM Yogi Adityanath

The Allahabad High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings registered against Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid over his remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

“Once the petitioner has regretted his comments/statement and has made it clear that he never intended to hurt the feelings and sentiments of anyone or Sri Yogi Adityanath and he made the said statement only in the lighter vein while responding to some questions put up by journalists, I am of the view that the impugned proceedings should be quashed.”, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh noted while quashing the case.

Petitioner- Salman Khurshid had approached the High Court seeking quashing of charge-sheet and cognizance/summoning order and proceeding of Sessions Trial in connection with the case where he had made a remark against the UP CM during the electioneering for Lok Sabha Election 2019.

The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the statement was made in a lighter vein which is a famous dialogue of movie "Shahanshah" without any intention to be disrespectful to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Salman Khurshid also filed a personal affidavit in the Court and expressed regret on the said comment/statement.

S.G. Hasnain, Senior Advocate, appeared for the petitioner whereas AGA Ratnendu Kumar Singh appeared for Respondent.

“Sometimes, in a spur of moment, a person utters something with no intention to hurt feelings and sentiments of others, and if such person regrets for making such a statement, the Court should take a larger view of the matter and quash the proceedings.”, the Court observed.

The Court noted that the petitioner regretted his offending comment.

Thus the Court noted that “In view of the affidavit submitted by Sri Salman Khurshid and considering overall facts and circumstances of the case, the context in which he uttered the offending sentence, and his regret for his comment, I am of the view that the continuation of the impugned proceedings against Sri Salman Khurshid would not be justified.”

Accordingly, the Court allowed the petition and quashed the criminal proceedings.

Cause Title- Salman Khurshid v. State of U.P. & Another

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