SALMAN KHAN v. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Police Station' Central Crime Station, DD, Old Commissioner Office

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of lndia praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to order or any direction, writ more appropriately in the nature of writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in not registering FIR against the unofficial respondent though the complaint daled 28.12.2025 is made by the petitioner is illegal, arbitrary, discriminatory and unconstitutional besides contrary to the Section 173 to 176 of the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) consequenfly direct the respondents to register FIR against the unofficial respondent by considering the representation / complaint dated 28.12.2025 made by the pr>titioner herein strictly in accordance with Section 173 to 176 of the Bharatiya t.,lagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and block the social media Facebook account of the unofficial respondent. lA NO: 1 OF 2026 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the respondents to remove the objectionable content from the Photos, Videos posted by the unofficial respondent on the social media i.e. Facebook and any other s;ocial media platforms on 28.12.2025, pending disposal of the writ petition. Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI D.SATYA VEER Counsel for the Respondent No.1 to 5: SRI M.SRINIVAS, AGP FOR HOME The Court made the following: ORDER IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL w.P.No.2227 of 20.26 Date: 27 -Ol-2026 Between Salman Khan AND i -!,, ...petitioner The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Principal secretar5r, Home Department, Secretariat, Building, Secretariat, Hyderabad and five others. ..resPondents ORDER This writ Petition is filed under Article 226 0f the Constitution of India, seeking the following relief/s:- "........to declare the arc:tion ol tlte responclents in not registering FIR trgainst the unofficial respondent on the cornlrlairrt clated 28.12.2025 rnacle by the petitioner, as illegal' arbitrar.\,, cliscrirninator.y alltl unconstittttional besides contrary to tlre Section 173 to 17(> cf the lJharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) conseqLlentl-v clirect the respotrclerrts to register FIR agirinst the ,1nef{lqial responrlerrt ll-v corrsiclering t}re r.elrrt:serrtatiorr / comltlaint clatetl'28.12.2025 rtlacle tr.r' ttre pqftiorrt:r herein stt'ictl.r, irr irt:cordaut:t: rvitlr Section 173 to 176 I t t i 1t 1 2 EVV,J !V.P.No.2227 of 2026 ol'thc []harati.va Nagaril<a Strlerks]ra Satrlrita (BNSS) ancl block llre social rncclia liace lrool< a('courrt of lhe Lrrroflicial respoltclent :r rrl p;rss sttclr othct or'(lers."

#2. Heard Sri D. Satl'a Veer, learned coLrnsel for the potitioner and Sri M. Srinivas, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, appearing for the respondent Nos.1 to 5. Pernsed the material available on record. Il. Learned counscl for the petitioner \\/ould submit that the 6th respondcnt, r-ramely Harvk Media House, run by its Chief Editor, viz., Mr. Tanveer Ahmed l(haja, i,r,ho is a hab.tual cyber offender, has subjected the petitioner to illegal cyber harassment by uploacling abusirre statements and publishing photographs, tlie re b,v spreading false inforrrLation with defamatory captions. The 6th respondent has deliberately published photographs of the petitioner along with one Mr. VUay Mallva and Mr. Lalit Modi, with an intention to defame tl-re petitioner. Accordingly, the petitioner has lodged a complaint against the 6th resporrdent and requested the respondent-police to remove the szLid defamatory content from the Facebook page of lhe : I ) J EVV,J W.P.No.2227 of 202(r 6th respondent. However, no action has been taken so far by the respondent-police. Hence, the present writ petition.

#4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would rely upon the crime registered as against the 6tt' respondent where a Press Note purported to have been issued by the 1"t responclent stating that the Sth lsspendent is involved in cyber criminal crimes under different sections registered in FIR Nos.2423, 352, 2384 and 2649 of 2024 in various police stations Hyderabad Police Commissionerate under different sections of BNSS, 2023, and that the all crimes are at the stage of investigation. Therefore, he seeks to pass appropriate orders in the Writ Petition

#5. The learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home by furnishing the written instructions, given by the Sub Inspector of Police, Cyber Crime PS, DD, Hyderabad, would submit that based upon the evidence of face book photoes and the contents of the complaint, an offence has bderr,.rnade out punishable under Section 356 of the BNSS, 2023, which is non-cogntzable offence. Accordingly, a 4 t1\/V,J \\/P.No.2227 o1202(r requisition has been filed vide SR. No.229 of 2026 before the IX Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nampally, seekin,3 llcrmission to register a case Llnder Section 356 of the BIITSS Act, 2023 and no',r, the matter is pending before the competent criminal Court flor grant of permission to register the crime against the 6tl, respondent. Hence, he r,uould submit that as and r,r,hen the permission is accorded b-v the said Court, action can be taken by the respondents- police. Hence, he seeks to pass appropriate orders in the Writ P,:tition

#6. Having regard to the submissions of the learned couns,:[ on either side and upon consideration of the inaterial available on record, this Court is of the considered view t:rat since the complaint has already been taken and necess; ary action has been taken by the respondents-police by filing necessary application before the competent crimiral Court seeking permission to register the crime, keepirrg the Writ Petition further, no cause in the Writ Petiticn w,ill be survived. 5 EVV,J W.P.No.2227 ol2O26

#7. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. It is needless to mention as and when the permission is granted by the competent criminal court, the respondent- police shall act upon such crime and take necessary action against the 6th respondent. There shall be no order as to COSTS B. As a sequel, the miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed \ To, //TRUE COPY/ SD/.C.DEEP STANT R CTION OFFICER 1 The Assista Crime Stati Hyderabad. nt Commissioner of Police, on, DD, Old Commissioner rim Police Station, Central Floor, Basheerbagh, 1

#2. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Police Station, Central Crime Station, DD, Hyderabad City Police.

#3. The Commissioner of Police, The tntegrated Command Control Centre, Hyderabad Police Commissionerate, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034.

#4. The Director General of Police, Telangana State, Lakdikapul, Hyderabad. 5. The Principal Secretary, Home (Police) Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad, State of Telangana.

#6. One CC to SRI D.SAryA VEER, Advocate TOPUCI 7. Two CCs to GP FOR HOME, High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad [OUT]

#8. Two CD Copies N, BSR HIGH COIURT DATEDi 2t7rc112026 , / ORDER WP.No.21227 ol 2026 a ! (;l + s"f i\TE 1B rtB $1[ a o + DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION, WITHOUT COSTS \\ "y \g