Delhi High Court Rejects PIL Alleging Vulgarity In Honey Singh's Song 'Maniac', Asks Litigant To Avail Civil Or Criminal Remedies

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (March 26) refused to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) against singer Honey Singh's latest song “Maniac”, alleging that it portrays women as “sexual objects” and uses vulgar words.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the litigant, Lavkush Kumar, to avail civil or criminal remedies available under law.

Kumar's counsel submitted that the PIL was filed against certain paragraphs and lines used in the song and that there was “bhojpuri vulgarity” in the song.

To this, the Chief Justice orally remarked: “Vulgarity does not have a region. You say Bhojpuri vulgarity. What is this? Tomorrow you'll say Delhi is vulgar. Vulgarity is vulgarity. No region.”

The petitioner's counsel then told Court that the song on YouTube has crossed millions of views and that action must be taken against the same.

The Court then remarked that if the petitioner is aggrieved that the song is spreading vulgarity and obscenity, an FIR can be lodged if the offence is cognizable.

“If there is an offence and it is cognizable, then please lodge a complaint or FIR. If it is not lodged, you know the procedure,” the Court said.

“You want us to redact that video. We are afraid we cannot issue a writ on this. Writs are issued generally against the State or State instrumentalities or any other body performing public function. Your matter is not in public law. It is in private law. If you are hurt from obscenity, then there is remedy under the criminal law system. Lodge an FIR or a complaint,” CJ said.

The Court added that a writ petition will not lie on the issue and that if aggrieved, the petitioner can seek remedy under criminal law or file a civil suit under the civil procedure.

“Everywhere you have said Bhojpuri songs. You cannot justify this. Perhaps you are not aware of the Bhojpuri culture and Bhojpuri songs. Don't do this.… This does not lie in the realm of public law. Therefore we won't entertain it. You take recourse of criminal and civil laws,” CJ said.

Accordingly, the petition was withdrawn with the liberty to pursue other remedies available under both civil and criminal law.

“The petition is dismissed with the liberty as prayed for,” the Court said.

Title: Lavkush Kumar v. Union of India & Ors. 

Counsel for petitioner: Adv Ravi Ranjan Mishra

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 366