Delhi HC flags Rana Ayyub’s tweets as derogatory, seeks action within 24 hours

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday described certain tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub as “highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal” while hearing a petition seeking the removal of the posts from social media.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed the Centre, Delhi Police and the social media platform X to “work in tandem” and “do the needful in 24 hours” regarding the alleged posts. “Let the matter be called the day after. Action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets by respondent number four, pursuant to which an FIR has also been directed to be registered by a court of competent jurisdiction,” the court said while issuing notices to Ayyub, the Centre and X and making Delhi Police a party to the proceedings. The matter is expected to be taken up again on April 10.

The plea was filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who said she is a follower of Sanatan Dharma and alleged that several tweets posted between 2013 and 2017 insulted Hindu deities and revered historical figures, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The petitioner identified six tweets , including one that said, “Ravana didn’t touch Sita even though he could. Ram didn’t stand for Sita even though he should have. Ravana 1 Ram 0. ” Another post quoted a couplet referencing Sita and Draupadi , which the petitioner alleged portrayed them disrespectfully. Other tweets reportedly criticised Savarkar, with one claiming he advocated rape as a component of Hindutva nationalism and another questioning his continued public honour. A separate tweet criticising the Indian Army referred to a photograph of an injured child and suggested the boy had been blinded.

Sachdeva said she had approached X’s resident grievance officer and later the Grievance Appellate Committee seeking removal of the posts, but relief was denied on the ground that the issue was sub judice . The petition also cited a January 25, 2025 order of a magisterial court directing registration of an FIR against Ayyub after finding that the allegations disclosed prima facie cognisable offences under the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 153A, 295A and 505 , relating to promoting enmity between groups, outraging religious feelings and statements causing public mischief. The petitioner further argued that the continued availability of the tweets violated her fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution .