CHANDIGARH, May 30 : The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of academician Madhu Purnima Kishwar in a case related to an allegedly retweeted video on social media.
Justice Aman Chaudhary observed that there is a clear distinction between “constructive criticism and tweeting/trolling,” noting that the petitioner, having a large social media following, could have significant impact through her posts.
The court said the matter was not a “solitary incident” and referred to her previous posts on sensitive issues, adding that the investigation is still at a nascent stage and several aspects remain to be examined.
Kishwar has been booked by Chandigarh Police on charges including defamation, promoting enmity, and circulation of alleged forged and misleading content. The complaint pertains to a 14-second video clip shared on the social media platform X.
Her counsel, including Kapil Sibal and Sartaj Singh Narula, argued that she only retweeted the clip without intent, claiming it was innocuous and that she had no role in creating the content. They also stated she is a reputed academician with no criminal antecedents.
However, the UT administration argued that the video was further amplified after being posted by Kishwar to her large following of around 18 lakh users, leading to widespread circulation and thousands of views, thereby contributing to misinformation and defamation allegations.
The court also noted non-cooperation during the investigation, observing that Kishwar failed to respond to multiple notices issued by the investigating agency.
It further remarked that social media posts with large reach carry heightened responsibility, warning that such content can spread misinformation rapidly and potentially disturb public harmony.
Observing that the investigation is still underway and key aspects remain to be uncovered, the court said it was too early to rule out criminality in the case and dismissed the anticipatory bail plea.
