A group of petitioners, aggrieved by alleged irregularities in recruitment by the School Service Commission, staged a peaceful protest at a public meeting of the Chief Minister at Asansol Stadium Ground on 28.06.2022, displaying posters and demanding a meeting. An FIR was registered against them at Hirapur Police Station (Case No. 244 of 2022) for offences under Sections 353, 186, 504, 506, 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, alleging that they obstructed police officers and disrupted the meeting. The petitioners filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution before the Calcutta High Court seeking expungement of their names from the FIR, contending that their actions constituted a peaceful exercise of fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) and that the FIR disclosed no prima facie cognizable offence. The Court, relying on the principles laid down in State of Haryana v. Bhajan Lal, Neeharika Infrastructure v. State of Maharashtra, and analogous decisions, examined whether the FIR allegations disclosed commission of any cognizable offence. The Court held that it is empowered under Article 226 to quash proceedings where allegations are mere bald assertions and no act of violence or untoward incident is disclosed, finding the continuation of the investigation unwarranted.