The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday (July 25, 2025) quashed the First Information Report (FIR) against ace water sportswoman Bilquis Mir, questioned the investigation agency’s role and described the case as a “witch-hunt”. “The attitude of the Investigating Agency in criminalizing non-acquisition of a technical qualification by the petitioner when she has brought laurels to the Country all over the world speaks volumes about the manner in which we are treating our sporting heroes,” Justice Sanjay Dhar observed, while quashing the FIR. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in 2023 filed an FIR against Ms. Mir, Executive Director, Water Sports Centre, J&K Sports Council. The ACB launched a verification process to look into allegations if she was appointed as Physical Education Teacher (PET) in relaxation of required technical qualification and if she underwent the Bachelor in Physical Education course. Quashing the FIR against Ms. Mir, Justice Dhar said, “This is a fit case where this Court should exercise its powers under Section 528 of BNSS to quash the impugned FIR and the proceedings emanating therefrom so as to secure the ends of justice.” The court said the attitude of the Investigating Agency in criminalizing non-acquisition of a technical qualification, when she has brought laurels to the Country all over the world, “speaks volumes about the manner in which we are treating our sporting heroes”. “While going through the Case Diary, (the court) was alarmed to note that the probe agency has even tried to go into the issue as to whether the answer scripts of the petitioner in her graduate examination have been properly evaluated by the examiners. This attitude clearly smacks of wreaking vengeance. The present case appears to be nothing but a witch-hunt launched by vested interests,” justice Dhar observed. Ms. Mir earned laurels for India in 2024 when she became the first Indian woman on the Paris Olympics jury. She was also the Chief Finish Line Judge at the 2025 Asian Championship held in Nanjing, China. “This Country has produced very few sports personalities and coaches of the level of the petitioner and instead of honouring them and celebrating their achievements, it seems that the people at helm of affairs are leaving no stone unturned in harassing such talented people. No surprise that even after more than 75 years of independence, this Country has failed to develop a sporting culture, as a consequence whereof, we have failed to produce sportsmen/women of international standards in proportion to our population,” the court observed . The ACB had filed a case against Ms. Mir under Section 5(1)(d) and 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code.