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The Delhi Police has told a Delhi court that no cognizable offence is made out against Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over her alleged remarks invoking Lord Hanuman during a government programme.

The police has said that the speech, when viewed in its entirety, reflected appreciation for government employees and respect for the deity.

The submission has been made by the police an action taken report filed before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar of Rouse Avenue Courts.

The police has said that the essential ingredients of Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, were not made out on the material examined.

The report has been filed in a complaint filed by one Ram Niwas Sharma, who sought registration of an FIR against Gupta over remarks allegedly made on September 23, 2025, during a government programme at ISBT Kashmere Gate marking the commencement of DTC bus services from Delhi to Baraut, Uttar Pradesh.

According to the complainant, Gupta had stated that government officials exercise their temporary power only when their “tail catches fire”, allegedly drawing a comparison with Lord Hanuman.

The complainant alleged that the remarks hurt the religious sentiments of devotees and sought action under Section 299 of BNS.

Rejecting the allegations, the police has said it obtained the official video recording of the programme from the Directorate of Information and Publicity, prepared a transcript and examined the speech in its entirety.

The report stated that the remarks, when read in the context of the surrounding speech, did not indicate that Gupta was ridiculing Lord Hanuman, insulting the deity or intending to hurt the religious feelings of devotees.

“The overall tenor of the speech is appreciative and encouraging,” the report stated, adding that the Chief Minister was praising the work, commitment and performance of Delhi Government employees by comparing their dedication and working spirit with Lord Hanuman.

The report alleged that the complainant had selectively omitted portions of the speech to distort its context and give the remarks a different colour.

It also referred to the complainant's political affiliations and stated that the complaint appeared to be motivated by political vendetta.

Concluding that the material did not disclose an insult or an attempt to insult Lord Hanuman, religion or religious beliefs, the police stated that no cognizable offence was made out and there was no basis for registration of an FIR.

The matter was listed before ACJM today who took the report of the police on record. As the counsel appearing for the complainant sought time to file response to the report, the Court adjourned the matter to October 29.

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