New Delhi, March 10: The Supreme Court today upheld the interim protection from arrest granted to folk singer Neha Singh Rathore in connection with an FIR filed against her for allegedly posting objectionable content on social media regarding the Pahalgam terror attack.

A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Atul S Chandurkar passed the order after the State counsel informed the Court that Rathore had appeared before the authorities as per the Court's earlier direction, and her statement had been recorded.

In granting the relief, the bench emphasized that Rathore must continue to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. The order comes in response to Rathore's petition challenging the Allahabad High Court's refusal to grant her anticipatory bail. The Supreme Court had previously granted interim protection to the singer in January, with a stipulation that she appear before the Investigating Officer when called, with the first appearance scheduled for January 19. The Court warned that any failure to comply with these instructions would be taken seriously.

The FIR against Rathore accuses her of posting "anti-India statements" on her social media handle, X (formerly Twitter), following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists at the hands of a Pakistan-backed terrorist group. The prosecution argues that, at a time when the government was preparing retaliatory actions against Pakistan and enforcing strict measures, Rathore continued to make inflammatory posts intended to "undermine national unity and incite communal and religious violence."

In the impugned order, the Allahabad High Court had dismissed Rathore's anticipatory bail plea, noting that the posts she made on X were disrespectful towards the Prime Minister and violated public decency. The Court further observed that while Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech, it is subject to reasonable restrictions concerning public order, decency, and morality. The High Court also pointed out that Rathore's posts were made at a critical time, right after the tragic Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025.

The High Court's decision came more than two and a half months after it rejected Rathore's challenge to the FIR, which includes charges related to "endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India."