Actor's TV interview remarks on Valmiki led to two criminal cases, later quashed
Police in Jalandhar registered an FIR under Sections 295 and 295-A IPC, with Section 3 of the SC/ST Act added later, while police in Amritsar registered a second FIR under Section 295 IPC, over a film actor's remarks about Valmiki in a news-channel interview. The Punjab and Haryana High Court held that the necessary ingredients of the alleged offences were missing. It quashed both FIRs and all subsequent proceedings against the speaker on 7 August 2024.
This page records what the cited court records and reports say happened. Findings belong to the court or authority that made them; this register adds none of its own. Names of private individuals are withheld unless a naming gate clears them.
How we verify →Both FIRs and all proceedings against the speaker stand quashed since 7 August 2024.
What happened
The High Court recorded that the petitioner, described as an actor with a career spanning over 40 years, gave an interview to a Punjabi news channel on 9 June 2022 about the depiction of gun violence in cinema and its effect on young people, using an illustration concerning Valmiki.
The High Court recorded that FIR No. 67 dated 10 June 2022 was registered at Police Station Navi Baradri, Jalandhar, under Sections 295 and 295-A IPC, with Section 3 of the SC/ST Act added later. FIR No. 167 dated 11 June 2022 was registered at Police Station Cantonment, Amritsar, under Section 295 IPC. The complaint reproduced in the judgment alleged that the remarks had hurt the sentiments of the Valmiki and Ravidasiya communities.
The High Court found that the necessary ingredients to constitute the alleged offences were missing and that continuation of the proceedings would result in a miscarriage of justice.
The High Court allowed petition CRM-M-11320-2023 and quashed both FIRs and all subsequent proceedings qua the petitioner, by an order pronounced on 7 August 2024.
What the record says
“In view of above, the present petition is allowed.”
CRM-M-11320-2023, Punjab and Haryana High Court, order pronounced 7 August 2024 — read the full text
Punished for a freedom
The prosecution punished illustrative commentary in a media interview about a revered figure; the remarks involved no violence, threat, fraud, or complaining victim of any other offence, and the court itself found no offence was made out.
What we could not confirm
No victim name or full interview transcript could be confirmed from the order excerpt; district reflects the first FIR (Jalandhar) though a second FIR lay in Amritsar. No more recent qualifying pure-speech case was found; 2025-2026 candidates examined were rejected as noted.