Pakistan Zindabad Case: Karnataka High Court quashes criminal proceedings against a man accused of raising the slogan at a BJP rally, citing the unusual circumstances and lack of evidence of social unrest.
By Qalam Times News Network
Bengaluru, November 5, 2026
The Pakistan Zindabad Case has taken a significant turn after the Karnataka High Court set aside criminal proceedings against a man accused of raising the controversial slogan at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demonstration in 2022. The court accepted the circumstances presented by the accused and observed that such a slogan being raised at a political event organised by the BJP was “highly unimaginable”.
In its order dated October 28, Justice V. Srishananda of the Karnataka High Court examined the allegations, the petitioner’s explanation and the findings of the police investigation. The court’s observation centred on the unusual circumstances of the incident, particularly the fact that the alleged slogan was reportedly raised during a demonstration organised by BJP supporters. The accused maintained that he had never intended to praise Pakistan and that the words came out incorrectly in the heat of the moment.
Pakistan Zindabad Case : A Claimed Slip of the Tongue Becomes Central to the Case
Representing the petitioner, his lawyer submitted before the court that the man had actually intended to shout “Pakistan Murdabad” but mistakenly uttered “Pakistan Zindabad”. According to the defence, the incident was an unintended verbal error, commonly described as a slip of the tongue, rather than a deliberate expression of support for Pakistan or an attempt to provoke public disorder.
The controversy originated from a demonstration organised by BJP supporters on December 18, 2022. A complaint concerning the incident was subsequently lodged in 2024. The complainant alleged that a video showing the man raising the slogan had caused him considerable mental distress, following which he approached the authorities seeking appropriate police action.
Acting on the complaint, Mandya police registered a criminal case under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges included provisions dealing with public mischief and statements or assertions considered prejudicial to national integration.
The registration of the case eventually led the accused to approach the Karnataka High Court, requesting the cancellation of the criminal proceedings. His petition challenged the continuation of the case, arguing that the incident had been misunderstood and that the alleged statement did not reflect his actual intention.
During the proceedings, the prosecution opposed the petition and alleged that the accused had deliberately raised the slogan with the intention of creating unrest in society. The prosecution’s position was that the incident warranted legal action because of the nature and sensitivity of the words allegedly used.
However, the High Court examined whether the investigation had produced sufficient material to establish the alleged consequences of the incident. Justice Srishananda noted that the investigation had not demonstrated that the incident had actually resulted in any social unrest or disturbance of public order.
The court also considered the circumstances surrounding the demonstration and the explanation offered by the petitioner. Its observation that raising a pro-Pakistan slogan at a BJP-organised event was “highly unimaginable” became a significant feature of the order.
Ultimately, the Karnataka High Court concluded that allowing the criminal proceedings to continue would serve no meaningful purpose. It held that their continuation, in the circumstances of the case, would amount to an abuse of the process of law and accordingly quashed the proceedings against the petitioner.
The ruling brings the criminal proceedings against the accused to an end, while once again drawing attention to the importance of examining the circumstances, intention and available evidence before allowing criminal cases to proceed.
