On July 27, 2026, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sonali Singh of Chandigarh denied bail to Hassan Mohiduddin Siddiqui, a Hyderabad-based freelance journalist arrested for allegedly posting a scandalous video on X falsely attributing a facial massage clip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The court held that releasing the accused would risk disturbing public order and promoting enmity between groups, according to Bar & Bench. This was Siddiqui’s second bail application, his first having been rejected in May 2026.
Background: How We Got Here
The FIR in this case was registered on April 19, 2026, at the Sector-26 Police Station in Chandigarh, on a complaint filed by advocate Satinder Singh, as reported by The Tribune.
Hassan Mohiduddin Siddiqui — described as a freelance journalist and avid historian — was arrested on April 25, 2026, per Bar & Bench and India Legal Live. He was sent to judicial remand on May 9, 2026, according to Muslim Mirror.
- The X post in question allegedly shared a video of a man receiving a facial massage, falsely claiming the person was PM Modi. The caption read: ‘#BreakingNews: LEAKED video of Narendra Modi massage…’ and tagged Grok AI — X’s artificial intelligence verification tool — per Bar & Bench.
- The video’s claim was subsequently debunked by fact-checkers, as reported by India Legal Live.
- Siddiqui reportedly suffers from severe pancreatitis and requires regular medical attention, with supporters raising health concerns about his continued detention, according to Muslim Mirror.
Academic and author Madhu Purnima Kishwar is a co-accused in the same FIR, allegedly having originally shared the same video. The Punjab and Haryana High Court denied her anticipatory bail in May 2026, as reported by LiveLaw.
Charges against Siddiqui span multiple statutes: Sections 196, 356, 336(1), 336(3), 336(4), 340, 353, and 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Sections 66-C, 66-D, and 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The Ruling — Key Findings
ACJM Sonali Singh, in her order dated July 27, 2026, rejected the second bail application, finding that the only new ground advanced — the filing of the chargesheet — was insufficient to justify bail, per Bar & Bench and India Legal Live.
The court stated in unambiguous terms: “I am of the view that if bail is granted to the applicant, it will amount to disturbing the public order and it will promote enmity between the groups and other allegations.”
On the question of fundamental rights, the court observed: “The right to free speech and expression, no doubt, is a fundamental right, but the said right is not absolute. It carries with it certain responsibilities.” — as reported by The Tribune.
Chandigarh Police argued before the court that the post was provocative, objectionable, and capable of inciting communal disharmony and disturbing public peace, according to India Legal Live.
The court’s ruling makes clear that mere presentation of a chargesheet does not automatically entitle an accused to bail — a finding that tightens the procedural bar for release in cases touching on public order and communal harmony.
Reactions & What’s Next
Defence counsel Advocate Abhey Joshi argued before the court that the accused had no intention to malign any constitutional authority. As reported by The Tribune, he contended: “He only posed a question on his social media account to the artificial intelligence tool of X, namely Grok, to verify whether the video was genuine or not.”
The defence maintained that Siddiqui did not share a morphed video but merely sought AI-assisted verification — a distinction the court did not find persuasive enough to warrant bail.
With his second bail application now rejected and co-accused Madhu Purnima Kishwar’s anticipatory bail also denied by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in May 2026, both accused remain without bail relief. No further hearing date has been confirmed in the available sources at the time of publication.
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Who is Hassan Mohiduddin Siddiqui and why was he arrested?
Hassan Mohiduddin Siddiqui is a Hyderabad-based freelance journalist and avid historian. He was arrested on April 25, 2026, in connection with an X post that allegedly shared a video of a man receiving a facial massage, falsely claiming the person was PM Narendra Modi, with the caption ‘#BreakingNews: LEAKED video of Narendra Modi massage…’ The FIR was filed on the complaint of advocate Satinder Singh at Sector-26 Police Station, Chandigarh.
Under which laws has Hassan Mohiduddin Siddiqui been charged?
Siddiqui has been charged under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 — including Sections 196, 356, 336(1), 336(3), 336(4), 340, 353, and 318 — as well as Sections 66-C, 66-D, and 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Why did the Chandigarh court deny bail on July 27, 2026?
ACJM Sonali Singh held that granting bail would disturb public order and promote enmity between groups. The court also ruled that the filing of the chargesheet — the sole new ground raised by the defence — was not sufficient reason to grant bail. This was the second bail application rejected in the case, the first having been dismissed in May 2026.
Who else is accused in the same FIR?
Academic and author Madhu Purnima Kishwar is a co-accused in the same FIR, allegedly having originally shared the same video about PM Modi. The Punjab and Haryana High Court denied her anticipatory bail in May 2026, as reported by LiveLaw.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws may change or vary by case — consult a qualified lawyer before acting. The Courtroom is not liable for any reliance on this content.
