Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Bail to Man Accused of Raising “Pakistan Zindabad” Slogan; Says Allegations to Be Tested at Trial

Case Name: Ameen vs. State of Haryana
Date of Judgment: 26 November 2025
Citation: CRM-M-51491-2025
Bench: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj

Held: The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted regular bail to a man accused of raising the slogan “Pakistan Zindabad” during a period of armed conflict, holding that the question of whether the offence under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita is made out must be determined at trial, and that prolonged pre-trial custody could not be justified.

Summary: The FIR alleged that the petitioner shouted the slogan during wartime, amounting to treasonous conduct. He was arrested the day after registration of the FIR and remained in custody for more than six months. The petitioner argued that the FIR was politically motivated and that the ingredients of the offence were not satisfied, relying on the Supreme Court’s decisions in Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha and S.G. Vombatkere to contend that mere speech cannot automatically attract such penal provisions.

The State opposed the bail plea, asserting that the allegations were substantiated during investigation and that only the challan had been filed with charges still to be framed. The Court, however, noted the petitioner’s clean antecedents and the fact that investigation was complete. The Court refrained from making any comment on the merits of the alleged offence but held that further incarceration was unwarranted at this stage.

Decision: The petition was allowed. The petitioner was ordered to be released on regular bail subject to standard conditions. The Court clarified that nothing in the order shall prejudice the trial.