“Mere Reporting Of A Violent Incident Is Not Promoting Enmity”: MP High Court Quashes FIR Against YouTube … – LawBeat

“Mere Reporting Of A Violent Incident Is Not Promoting Enmity”: MP High Court Quashes FIR Against YouTube …  LawBeat

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has quashed an FIR against a YouTube journalist accused of promoting communal disharmony through a news report on a violent incident during a Ganesh Visarjan procession, holding that “the mere reporting of an incident involving violence does not, by itself, constitute the offence.”Justice Himanshu Joshi of the Jabalpur bench allowed a petition filed by Uvesh Khan alias Uvesh Reporter under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) (Section 482 of CrPC). The petition sought to quash FIR dated 08.09.2025, registered as Crime No.328/2025 at Police Station Silwani, District Raisen, under Section 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) (Section 153-A IPC), along with all consequential proceedings.According to the prosecution, the petitioner, who runs a YouTube news channel, broadcast a report on 06.09.2025 about an incident in Silwani during the Ganesh Visarjan procession.

The complaint alleged that the manner of reporting created fear and confusion among members of the Hindu community and had the potential to provoke communal discord.Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Sankalp Kochar argued that Khan is a journalist by profession, relying on his UDYAM certificate and an appointment letter issued by DNN News Channel. He submitted that the report merely covered a violent incident in which two persons were injured. He added that Crime No.324/2025, concerning an assault on