The Supreme Court directed Sanjeev Tyagi, a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, to provide his voice sample for forensic analysis regarding an audio clip in which he allegedly made derogatory comments about Muslims. The Court also dismissed the criminal case against Islamuddin Ansari, a 73-year-old resident of Dehradun, who had forwarded the clip to Tyagi to confirm if the voice was his.
Ansari had sent the audio clip to Tyagi in March 2020 when Tyagi was serving as the Superintendent of Police in Bijnor. Instead of receiving a confirmation, Ansari faced criminal charges filed by the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and K. Vinod Chandran characterized the actions against Ansari as a “total abuse of authority and of the process of the Court.” The judges cautioned that any attempt to intimidate or coerce Ansari by any authority could lead him to seek redress directly from the Supreme Court.
The Court expressed concern over the events surrounding the case, stating, “The petitioner (Ansari), having rightly asked the Superintendent of Police whether the voice, which used very objectionable language, was his, was never given a reply.” Following their ruling, the Court mandated that Tyagi’s voice sample be tested at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad, Telangana.
During the hearing, the Uttar Pradesh government reported that it had submitted a petition before the trial court, requesting the withdrawal of the case against Ansari. The incident stemmed from March 2020, when Ansari sent the audio file to Tyagi. Soon after, an FIR was filed against “unknown persons” at the Kotwali Shahar police station in Bijnor on March 29, 2020.
The FIR cited Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act (transmission of obscene material). It invoked the Epidemic Act due to COVID-19, claiming that immediate action against Ansari’s mobile number was necessary to maintain peace and public order among the Muslim community.
Subsequently, a police team entered Ansari’s home in Dehradun, took him to Bijnor, interrogated him for over five hours, and seized his phone and wallet. A chargesheet filed on July 7, 2020, specifically named Ansari, alleging that his actions incited “rebellion” by sharing messages capable of inflaming religious sentiments among Muslims. The magistrate court recognized the case, issuing summons on September 30, 2021.
After the Allahabad High Court rejected Ansari’s plea for quashing the case on August 13, 2025, he escalated the matter to the Supreme Court. In his arguments, Ansari, represented by advocates Aadil Singh Boparai and Amarjeet Singh, contended that the proceedings amounted to malicious prosecution and harassment. He described the case as a “counterblast” to his inquiry regarding derogatory statements aimed at a minority group, asserting that since he had only privately forwarded the clip to Tyagi, the “publication” requirement under Section 505 IPC was not satisfied.
The Supreme Court is set to hear the case again on January 12, 2026.
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