Bombay HC Rejects Plea To Dismiss FIR Against Pune Teacher Over Offensive ‘Operation Sindoor’ WhatsApp Posts
Bombay HC Rejects Plea To Dismiss FIR Against Pune Teacher Over Offensive ‘Operation Sindoor’ WhatsApp Posts
Mumbai | July 30, 2025 — The Bombay High Court has rejected a plea to quash an FIR against a Pune-based schoolteacher accused of sharing derogatory content on a women-only WhatsApp group following the Indian Army’s ‘Operation Sindoor.’ The court emphasized that the accused, being a well-educated individual, had caused “incalculable harm” with her posts and that the matter warranted a full investigation.
The FIR was registered on May 15 at the Kalepadal Police Station against 46-year-old Farah Deeba after she allegedly shared offensive messages and videos — including one showing the national flag being burned and mocking the Prime Minister — in a WhatsApp group of 380 women in her housing society.
The controversy erupted on May 7, shortly after Operation Sindoor, when group members were sharing patriotic messages. Deeba allegedly mocked the sentiments by saying, “We have TV and mobiles, so this group need not become a national news channel,” followed by a laughing emoji. She later posted inflammatory videos and stated her familial ties to Pakistan, which further escalated tensions.
The complainant, Sheetal Bhujbal, accused Deeba of disturbing communal harmony and inflaming the group with her remarks.
While Deeba argued she was not in a stable mental state at the time and deleted the posts upon realising the impact, the court found her conduct serious. “Despite apologising, the damage was already done,” the bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Rajesh Patil noted.
The court also criticised her irresponsible use of social media, especially given her role as a teacher with a postgraduate degree in English and a B.Ed. qualification. “Such behaviour from an educated person is not only inappropriate but dangerous,” the court observed, upholding the need for further investigation.
