The Orissa High Court has refused to grant relief to a man who alleged harassment by police after he posted negative Google reviews about a gym. The court held that the petitioner had already approached several authorities over the dispute and still had alternative legal remedies available.
Justice Savitri Ratho delivered the judgment on 26 February 2026 while disposing of a petition filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution.
Background of the Case
The case was filed by Abhijeet Acharya, who claimed that he faced harassment from police officials following a dispute with the owner of a fitness centre in Bhubaneswar. According to the petitioner, the conflict began after he had an argument with the gym staff over wearing gym shoes outside the entrance area.
Read also:- MP High Court Refuses Bail in Gwalior Case Where Constable Was Dragged on Car Bonnet During NSG Drill
Acharya later posted negative reviews about the gym on its Google page. Soon after, he alleged that several police constables arrived at his residence on 25 February 2024, threatened him with arrest, and forced him to delete the online reviews.
Following the incident, Acharya and his mother sought information under the Right to Information Act regarding the police officers who allegedly visited their home. They were reportedly informed that no such deployment had been recorded and that no formal FIR had been registered.
The petitioner also filed complaints with the police authorities and approached the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) alleging misconduct by police officials.
Read also:- Karnataka High Court Allows Minor to Use Mother’s Surname in Birth Certificate, Orders Fresh Record
Counsel for the petitioner argued that the police acted on an oral complaint made by the gym owner and subjected Acharya to harassment and humiliation. It was also contended that the alleged settlement between the parties was not voluntary and lacked proper legal formalities.
The State’s counsel told the court that the matter had already been examined by multiple authorities. According to the police report, the dispute between the gym owner and Acharya was amicably settled at the police station in February 2024, and both parties had submitted written statements confirming the settlement.
The State also pointed out that the petitioner had earlier approached the OHRC and the State Information Commission under the RTI Act regarding the same allegations.
Read also:- Supreme Court Withdraws 3 Criminal Revisions from Allahabad HC Over Delay in 1994 Murder Case Trial
The court noted that the Odisha Human Rights Commission had already examined the matter and concluded that no formal police case had been registered. The commission found no merit in the allegations of rights violations and declined to recommend any action.
Similarly, the State Information Commission had disposed of the RTI appeal filed by the petitioner’s mother, holding that all permissible information had already been provided and that denial of CCTV footage was legally justified.
The High Court observed that the incident dated back to 2024 and that the petitioner had already pursued remedies before several authorities.
“The police is duty bound to follow the mandate of law and cannot take illegal action against anybody,” the court said while declining to issue directions restraining police officials.
The bench also declined to order preservation of CCTV footage from the police station, noting that such recordings are not stored indefinitely and the request came nearly two years after the incident.
On the demand for an independent inquiry, the court pointed out that the Human Rights Commission had already conducted an inquiry into the allegations.
After examining the records and prior proceedings, the High Court held that the case did not warrant interference under Article 226 of the Constitution.
The court stated that if the petitioner was dissatisfied with the orders passed by the Human Rights Commission or the State Information Commission, he was free to challenge those decisions before the appropriate forum.
With these observations, the High Court disposed of the petition.
Case Title:- Abhijeet Acharya v. State of Odisha
Case Number:- CRLMP No. 109 of 2026
Date of Judgment:- 26 February 2026
