Sonu Nigam Moves Karnataka High Court, Seeks Quashing Of FIR For Pahalgam Comment

Last Updated:May 13, 2025, 15:05 IST

An FIR was filed against Sonu Nigam on May 3 in Bengaluru for his controversial comment during a concert in the city on April 27, 2025.

Singer Sonu Nigam has moved the Karnataka High Court seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him by the Karnataka Police. As reported by the news agency IANS, a bench headed by Justice Shivashankar Amarannavar admitted the petition on Tuesday. The hearing for the same will take place on May 15.

An FIR was filed against Sonu Nigam on May 3 in Bengaluru for his controversial comment during a concert in the city on April 27, 2025. It was filed at the Avalahalli Police Station following a complaint by the group, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. The FIR was filed under Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (statements inciting public mischief), and 352(1) (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace or incite another offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

What Was Sonu Nigam’s Controversial Statement?

During an event at the East Point College of Engineering and Technology in Bengaluru, Sonu Nigam slammed a fan for allegedly rudely requesting a Kannada song. In his remarks, the singer compared the mindset of the fan to that of the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack.

Sonu Nigam called the demand “rudely threatening” and said, “Mujhe accha nahi laga ki waha ek ladka jiski umar, jitni uske umar nahi hogi use pehle toh main Kannada gaane garaha hoon. He was so rudely threatening me, ‘Kannada, Kannada’. Yahi kaaran hai, Pahalgam mein jo hua hai na? Yahi kaaran hai jo karrahe ho, jo kiya tha na abhi? Dekho toh kaun saamne khada hai. I love Kannadigas, I love you guys. Main puri duniya mein jaha bhi jata hoon, main humesha bolta hoon main, sabko bolta hoon main…14,000 ki audience hog usme ek awaaz aati hai, ‘Kannada’. Toh main unke liye, us ek Kannadiga k liye main kuch line Kannadiga k gaata hoon. Main itni izzat karta hoon aapki, itna pyaar karta hoon. So thoda sa rehna chahiye, aesa nahi karna chahiye aapko.”

This soon triggered strong reactions. The comments were widely condemned by the Kannada-speaking community.

However, Sonu Nigam recently apologized for his comments when he wrote on social media, “Sorry Karnataka. My love for you is bigger than my ego. Love you always.”

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