Bombay HC held FIR against 19-year-old student cannot be quashed merely because she deleted her post and expressed regret.
Bench stressed academic performance is irrelevant to deciding criminal liability.
Court directed prosecutor to submit case diary in two weeks for further hearing.
The Bombay High Court stated on Friday that the case against a 19-year-old student for her social media post criticising Operation Sindoor cannot be dismissed on the basis that she removed the post and expressed regret.
PTI reported, Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad's bench ruled that the accused's status as a "bright student" and her "flying colours" in exams do not automatically mean that the FIR against her can be dismissed.
The Pune college student had petitioned the court to get the May FIR against her for posting on social media about Indo-Pak hostilities during Operation Sindoor revoked.
She was taken into custody but was later released after the High Court granted her bail.
Reportedly, the student's counsel told the court on Friday that the youngster had taken her exams and received good grades after obtaining release.
However, the bench said that her academic prowess could not be used as justification to dismiss the FIR.
According to the girl's attorney, she had no malicious intent when she made the post, promptly removed it, and expressed regret.
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However, the court pointed out that the matter is really made worse and more complicated by the removal of the post.
After two weeks, the bench ordered public prosecutor Mankhuwar Deshmukh to submit the case diary and postponed the matter for a follow-up hearing.
The girl reposted an Instagram post from the 'Reformistan' account on May 7, criticising the Indian government for inciting a war against Pakistan.
According to PTI, after a flurry of threats, the girl realised her error and removed the post within two hours.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 to avenge the horrific April 22 Pahalgam attack, saw the decimation of terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Hostilities between India and Pakistan ended on May 10.
