What is Zero FIR filed against Noida woman facing charges over abusive remarks against PM Modi

A 25-year-old salon employee from Noida has suddenly found herself at the centre of a controversy, after a video clip from CJP protest in Delhi went viral and landed her a criminal case. Police in Noida have registered a Zero FIR against Noida woman, a resident of a residential society in Sector 168, over allegedly abusive and derogatory remarks she made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The comments were reportedly made on July 23 during a demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led outfit that had gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest issues linked to the NEET-UG exam.

What is a "Zero FIR"

For readers unfamiliar with the term, a Zero FIR is a provision that lets anyone register a police complaint at literally any station in the country, irrespective of where the alleged crime occurred. It exists precisely for situations like this one, the protest happened in Delhi, but the complaint landed in Noida because that's where the accused is believed to reside. Once filed, the case is numbered "zero" and then formally handed over to the police station that actually has jurisdiction.

That handover has already taken place here. Noida Police transferred the file to Delhi Police within a day of registering it, since the alleged offence technically falls under Delhi's jurisdiction. From here on, it's Delhi Police that will lead the investigation, question witnesses, and decide on further steps, including whether an arrest is warranted.

What's the case against Noida woman?

Videos of the protest began circulating widely on social media in the days that followed, and one clip in particular showed Singh addressing the crowd in language that many viewers found deeply offensive. That clip has triggered the legal action. A Zero FIR was filed at the Expressway police station on July 29, nearly a week after the protest, once the complaint made its way to the authorities.

Who filed the complaint against Noida woman

The complaint was filed by Smriti Singh, a Supreme Court advocate based in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, who says she stumbled across the footage online. According to her account, she cross-checked the woman's identity through social media before approaching the police, and even carried the videos with her to the station. She has said the clips left the officers present visibly taken aback.

In her complaint, she argued that Singh's remarks went beyond ordinary criticism of the government and crossed into territory meant to insult the dignity of the Prime Minister's office while stirring public hostility.

What charges has she been booked under

Noida Police confirmed the FIR invokes three sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — the law that replaced the old Indian Penal Code:

• Section 352, which deals with intentionally insulting someone to provoke a breach of peace
• Section 353(1), covering statements that could incite public mischief
• Section 356(1), which relates to defamation

None of these charges are minor, but they also aren't the kind that typically lead to instant arrest — which explains why, as of this week, Singh has not been taken into custody.

For now, the case sits with Delhi Police, and much depends on whether Noida woman is located and questioned, or whether, like the flat in Sector 168, this story too stays locked for a while.