Telangana MLA Raja Singh acquitted in Prophet remarks case after 4-year trial
Synopsis
After nearly four years and over 77 days in preventive detention, Goshamahal MLA T. Raja Singh has been acquitted by a Hyderabad special court in the 2022 Prophet Muhammad remarks case. The verdict spotlights the contested use of the Preventive Detention Act against elected legislators and reignites debate over the boundaries of free speech and religious sensitivities in Indian politics.
Key Takeaways
A Hyderabad Special Court for MPs/MLAs acquitted T.
Raja Singh on 30 June in a case registered in 2022 over alleged derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad .
The court found that the prosecution failed to prove the charges — under IPC Sections 153A, 295A, 504, 505(2), and 506 — beyond reasonable doubt.
Singh was held under the Preventive Detention Act for nearly 77 days before the Telangana High Court granted bail in November 2022 .
The BJP had suspended Singh after the controversy, revoked the suspension before the 2023 elections , and re-fielded him from Goshamahal , where he won.
Singh later resigned from the BJP and alleged fresh cases have been filed against him under the current Congress -led Telangana government.
A Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Hyderabad on Tuesday, 30 June acquitted T. Raja Singh, the Goshamahal constituency MLA, in a case stemming from his 2022 remarks allegedly derogatory towards Prophet Muhammad. The court held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, according to Singh's counsel K. Karuna Sagar.
Background of the Case
Singh was arrested on 25 August 2022 after Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand invoked the Preventive Detention (PD) Act, following widespread public outrage over his remarks. He remained in custody for nearly 77 days before the Telangana High Court set aside the Police Commissioner's order and granted him bail on 9 November 2022.
Singh had been booked under Sections 153A(a)(b), 295A, 504, 505(2), and 506 of the Indian Penal Code — provisions that deal with promoting enmity between groups, outraging religious feelings, and criminal intimidation.
What the Court Decided
After nearly four years of proceedings in the MP/MLA Special Court, the bench acquitted Singh on all charges. His counsel confirmed that the prosecution could not establish the offences to the required standard of proof. Singh denied having made any remarks intended to hurt religious sentiments.
What Raja Singh Said
Describing the verdict as a 'victory of truth,' Singh wrote on social media platform X: 'During that difficult time, I had complete faith in the Judiciary. After coming out of jail, I decided to fight the legal battle in the court. For the past four years, this case has been running in the MP-MLA Special Court. I have always presented my side within the framework of the law and the Constitution. Today, after the court proceedings, all the charges levelled against me have been proven false. This is the victory of truth, justice, and the law.'
He also alleged that the then Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had invoked the PD Act under pressure from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) — a claim the concerned parties have not publicly responded to as of this report.
Singh's Political Journey Since 2022
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initially suspended Singh following the controversy. However, the party revoked his suspension ahead of the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections and fielded him again from Goshamahal, where he was re-elected. Singh subsequently resigned from the BJP last year, reportedly after being denied the opportunity to file his nomination for the post of Telangana BJP unit chief.
Singh alleged that multiple cases have also been registered against him under the current Congress-led Telangana government, expressing confidence that he would be acquitted in each. He said he would continue to serve constituents within the framework of the Constitution.
Point of View
Only for the underlying criminal charges to collapse in court. The PD Act, designed for emergency public-order situations, was applied here against a sitting MLA — a use that the Telangana High Court had already found questionable when it set aside the detention order in 2022. That the prosecution could not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, despite the charges carrying serious public-order implications, raises questions about the evidentiary basis on which the FIR was filed. Singh's own political arc — suspended, reinstated, re-elected, then self-exiled from the BJP — illustrates how communally charged controversies can simultaneously damage and energise electoral careers in polarised constituencies.
NationPress
30 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was T. Raja Singh acquitted?
The Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Hyderabad acquitted T. Raja Singh because the prosecution failed to prove the charges against him beyond reasonable doubt. Singh had been booked in 2022 under IPC provisions related to promoting enmity between groups and outraging religious feelings over remarks allegedly derogatory towards Prophet Muhammad.
How long was Raja Singh held in detention?
Singh was held under the Preventive Detention Act for nearly 77 days, from his arrest on 25 August 2022 until 9 November 2022, when the Telangana High Court set aside the Police Commissioner's detention order and granted him bail.
What is the Goshamahal constituency and who represents it?
Goshamahal is a state assembly constituency in Hyderabad, Telangana. T. Raja Singh has represented it across multiple terms and was re-elected in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections even after the 2022 controversy.
What happened to Raja Singh's membership in the BJP?
The BJP suspended Singh following his 2022 remarks, revoked the suspension before the 2023 Assembly elections, and fielded him again from Goshamahal. He won the seat but later resigned from the BJP, reportedly after being denied the chance to contest for the position of Telangana BJP unit chief.
What charges was Raja Singh facing?
Singh was booked under IPC Sections 153A(a)(b) — promoting enmity between groups — 295A (outraging religious feelings), 504 (intentional insult), 505(2) (statements creating public mischief), and 506 (criminal intimidation). All charges were dismissed following the court's acquittal.
