BENGALURU: Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh moved the Karnataka High Court, questioning the legality of the order passed by a magistrate as well as the First Information Report (FIR) registered against him under the provisions of the BNS for allegedly hurting religious feelings by mocking a sacred Daiva tradition during a public event.
The case has been listed before Justice M Nagaprasanna for hearing on Tuesday.
The High Grounds police registered an FIR against him on January 28 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by mocking a sacred Daiva tradition during a public event, following an order passed by the magistrate on a private complaint filed by a city-based advocate, Prashanth Methal.
Singh was booked under Sections 196 (promoting enmity, hatred, or disharmony between different groups based on religion, race, language, or caste), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 302 (intentional wounding of religious feelings) of the BNS.
It was stated in the complaint that the incident occurred on November 28, 2025, during the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa. In the event, Ranveer Singh allegedly mocked the sacred Daiva tradition on stage by imitating the divine expressions of Panjurli Daiva. The actor is also accused of verbally referring to Daiva as a "female ghost".
The complainant asserted that Daiva is not a ghost but a powerful guardian spirit symbolising justice, protection, and divine feminine energy, and holds deep religious and cultural significance in coastal Karnataka. Referring to the deity as a ghost was described as blasphemous and a serious insult to Hindu religious beliefs and practices. The video of the performance went viral on social media, causing anger and resentment among devotees.