SC declines urgent hearing on PIL over Nazia Elahi Khan's Prophet remarks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to urgently hear a public interest litigation (PIL) over allegedly objectionable remarks made by an influencer against Prophet Muhammad.

A vacation bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu refused to grant an urgent listing of the plea, asking the petitioner to first approach the police and have faith in the system. The bench said the petitioner should not "short-circuit" the legal process.

Speaking for the bench, Justice Amanullah said the issue raised in the petition was serious, but the petitioner must first file a complaint with the police in accordance with the law. Parties cannot approach the Supreme Court as the first port of call, he added.


The matter was mentioned by advocate Rajat Kumar, who submitted that the comments could trigger communal disharmony.

"So you file a PIL? Why come here? Have you filed a complaint with the police? Why don't you have faith in the system?" Justice Amanullah asked.

He added that the Supreme Court was also part of the system. "We are only at its apex. We are here to monitor," Justice Amanullah said.

According to media reports, influencer Nazia Elahi Khan allegedly made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad during a podcast in June, clips of which later went viral on social media.