Legal trouble mounts for Hardik Pandya as Pune lawyer files complaint over disrespect to national flag during victory celebrations
The complaint was submitted at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station and relates to India’s on-field celebrations after the team lifted the ICC Men's T20 World Cup for a record third time.
PTC News Desk: Hardik Pandya, India’s all-rounder, has landed in legal trouble after a Pune-based advocate filed a complaint with the police, accusing him of disrespecting the Indian national flag during the T20 World Cup victory celebrations in Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The complaint was submitted at the Shivaji Nagar Police Station and relates to India’s on-field celebrations after the team lifted the ICC Men's T20 World Cup for a record third time. A police officer confirmed on Wednesday that advocate Wajid Khan had submitted the application seeking appropriate action, though further details were not disclosed.
"According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the dignity of the national flag. However, Hardik Pandya was so lost in the celebration of his victory that he was lying with his girlfriend while wearing the national flag. I believe it is an insult to the national flag."
According to the complaint, several videos of the team’s post-match celebrations have gone viral on social media. In one such clip, Pandya is seen celebrating with the Indian Tricolour draped over his shoulders while dancing and running across the field.
The complaint further alleges that during the celebrations, Pandya was also seen lying on the stage with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma while the Tricolour remained draped over him, which the complainant claims amounts to disrespect toward the national flag.
The incident has sparked mixed reactions online. While many fans dismissed the issue as part of the players’ excitement following a historic victory, others argued that the national flag should have been handled more carefully during the celebrations.
India defeated New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs in the final to secure their third T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team to win the tournament three times and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.