The Allahabad High Court has dismissed the plea seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against an accused charged with making derogatory remarks against the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other Ministers of the Government of India.

The Division Bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rajendra Kumar-IV passed this order while hearing a petition filed by Mumtaz Mansoori.

The writ petition has been filed with the prayer to quash the FIR, registered as Case under Section 504 IPC and Section 67 IT Act, Police Station Meerganj, District Jaunpur.

The FIR said highly derogatory remarks against the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other Ministers of Government of India were made by the petitioner from his Facebook ID.

Although the Constitution recognizes freedom of speech, such right does not extend to hurling abuses or making derogatory remarks against any citizen much less the Prime Minister or other Ministers of the Government of India, the Court said.

“The First Information Report clearly discloses commissioning of cognizable offence. We find no good ground to interfere in the writ petition filed with a prayer to quash such First Information Report,” the Court observed while dismissing the petition.