Punjab and Haryana High Court issues notice to X on plea alleging intimidation by Punjab Police
The Punjab and Haryana High Court also took cognisance of an earlier petition, filed after various Punjab Police districts and commissioners blocked the account ‘Police Corruption India’ on X.
2 min read
In the order, the bench also took cognisance of an earlier petition, which was filed after various police districts and commissioners of the Punjab Police had blocked the account ‘Police Corruption India’ on X.The Punjab and Haryana High Court Wednesday issued notice to X Corp, the Punjab Government, and Punjab Police on a petition filed by a lawyer, who alleged intimidation by state authorities and action by the social media platform after he raised concerns about extra-judicial killings in Punjab.
The single-judge bench of Justice Suvir Sehgal passed the order while hearing Nikhil Saraf’s plea in person, and directed the issuance of notice of motion to the respondents. The bench also recorded that Chanchal Kumar Singla, Additional Advocate General, Punjab, accepted notice on behalf of the government and the state police.
In the order, the bench also took cognisance of an earlier petition, which was filed after various police districts and commissioners of the Punjab Police had blocked the account ‘Police Corruption India’ on X. The account was being used to raise various complaints against the police.
According to the petition, Saraf received on June 2, 2025, a purported screenshot of a WhatsApp group allegedly used by senior Punjab Police officers. The screenshot appeared to show the director general of police congratulating Barnala’s senior superintendent of police for an alleged encounter, and expressing dissatisfaction with other officers for not following earlier orders on “sufficient encounters.”
Saraf stated he submitted a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on July 12, 2025, which was registered on July 14, 2025, but remains unheard. He also alleged that after he published the screenshot, and posed questions on X on July 31, his account on the social media platform was suspended allegedly without being supplied the underlying complaint or allowed to respond.
In his plea, Saraf requested the court to direct X Corp to provide him with a copy of the complaint it allegedly received from the Punjab Government and the Punjab Police. He accused the respondents of abusing power and authority by repeatedly filing “meritless and frivolous complaints” against him to harass, intimidate, and suppressing his constitutional right to free speech and expression.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 16.
You May Like
