Jammu and Kashmir High Court quashes detention over ‘Lord Ram’ Facebook post

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has overturned a detention order issued against a man accused of making derogatory remarks about "Lord Ram" and mocking Hindu women fasting during Karwa Chauth on Facebook. The court ruled that the 38-day delay in issuing the detention order was unreasonable and violated the man's constitutional rights.

The man, 41, was initially detained under the Public Safety Act on December 8, 2025, after the solicitor general of the Kathua district recommended his detention. The police cited four FIRs and two daily diary reports against him, alleging that he had been consistently guilty of inciting public discord through inflammatory and provocative speeches on social media.

The court noted that the delay in issuing the detention order was "colorable exercise of power" and questioned how the detaining authority could fairly assess the case while withholding bail-related documents. The court stated that the detaining authority "slept over the matter for a considerable period and turned a blind eye" in passing the detention order.

Justice Rajesh Sekhri emphasized that the detainee's constitutional right was violated by not allowing him to challenge the detention promptly after receiving the proposal for his detention from the sponsoring authority. The court cancelled the detention order, stating that the unexplained delay in issuing the order did not align with the facts of the case and invalidated the preventive detention order.