HC stays probe in FIR over social media post on use of Punjab CM’s helicopter
It was flown on December 8, last year, when the Chief Minister was admittedly out of India as part of an official foreign delegation
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday stayed further investigation in an FIR registered against a law student–RTI activist and three journalists following a social media post on the use of the Punjab Chief Minister’s helicopter, while issuing notice of motion to the State of Punjab for February 23.
Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj passed the interim order in a petition seeking quashing of FIR No. 67 of 2025, after the petitioners argued that the criminal case stemmed from a bona fide public issue on the use of public resources and amounted to an attempt to stifle dissent and independent journalism.
As per the petition, the impugned FIR originated from a social media post made by petitioner, a law student and RTI activist, who raised a bonafide public question regarding the use of the helicopter allotted to the Chief Minister of Punjab. It was flown on December 8, last year, when the Chief Minister was admittedly out of India as part of an official foreign delegation. In the same post, the petitioner also flagged that his RTI applications seeking details of government expenditure on helicopters and private aircraft had not been responded to.
The petition states that the information shared in the post was sourced from FlightRadar24, described as a lawful and publicly accessible flight-tracking platform. By entering helicopter number, the petitioner said he observed that on December 8 the helicopter flew multiple times within Chandigarh, thereafter to Amritsar, proceeded to another location and finally returned to Chandigarh. According to the petition, the post merely shared publicly available information and raised questions of transparency in the use of public resources.
The matter, the petitioners contend, led to public discussion. Petitioners—journalists by profession—raised similar concerns on their media platforms and some interviewed petitioner student. Instead of responding to these issues, the State allegedly initiated criminal proceedings.
It has been specifically pleaded that there is no private complainant in the case and that the FIR was registered solely on the complaint of a police officer. The petition points out that no member of the public has alleged any grievance and that the FIR itself admits the helicopter did fly on the said date and was used by a person holding a constitutional post, but “deliberately conceals the identity of such person and the reason for using the Chief Minister’s helicopter”.
The petition further asserts that even if the allegations in the FIR are taken at face value, no cognisable offence is made out. Raising questions, sharing publicly available information and participating in public debate, it argues, are activities protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The FIR, according to the petitioners, is “manifestly mala fide” and intended to silence dissent.
Taking note of the submissions, Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj stayed further investigation in the matter and issued notice of motion to the State of Punjab, making it returnable on February 23.
