India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has landed in legal trouble following India’s victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. A formal complaint has reportedly been filed against the star cricketer at the Shivaji Nagar police station in Bengaluru, alleging disrespect toward the Indian national flag during the team’s on-field celebrations. The complaint was submitted by Pune-based lawyer Wajed Khan Bidkar, who has called for legal action against Pandya.
The issue stems from videos that went viral on social media after India celebrated their World Cup triumph at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In one widely circulated clip, Pandya is seen running and dancing on the field with the Indian Tricolour draped across his shoulders while celebrating the victory with teammates and family members. However, the complainant alleges that the celebrations crossed a line when the cricketer was later seen lying on a stage with his girlfriend while still wearing the national flag.
According to Bidkar, the act amounts to disrespect toward the Tricolour and violates provisions related to maintaining the dignity of the national flag. “You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back…” Advocate Wajid Khan said while speaking to ANI.
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He further referred to legal provisions related to the flag’s dignity.
“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, wearing the national flag… I believe it is an insult to the national flag,” he added.
#WATCH | Pune: Advocate Wajid Khan says, “You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back… According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the… pic.twitter.com/mHVHn336ql
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2026
Bidkar also explained why the complaint was filed in Bengaluru despite the incident taking place in Ahmedabad.
“When I went to file the complaint, they told me the incident occurred there, not here. So, I told them that the national flag is a symbol of the entire nation, and we can file a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar police. They have accepted my complaint and provided me with a copy. Let’s see what happens next. I have filed the complaint.”
I might get cooked for saying this but Hardik Pandya girlfriend doesn’t even have basic civic sense.
The ICC photoshoot was going on just wait for 10 minutes but no she wanted to be involved in everything. pic.twitter.com/yUcqpzbPRk
— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) March 9, 2026
Why so much drama Hardik Pandya ? This is just a 6 month old relationship.pic.twitter.com/ekuHima8uU
— Honest Cricket Lover (@Honest_Cric_fan) March 9, 2026
This guy is going to lead the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. May God save Mumbai Indians.
Never imagined Hardik Pandya would behave like this. Absolute cringe.
— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) March 10, 2026
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked intense debate on social media. Several users criticised Pandya’s celebration style and public display of affection during the victory celebrations.
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“I have never seen bigger cringe attention seekers than Hardik Pandya and Mahieka,” one user wrote online. “All the T20 World Cup 2026 final scenes were adorable, but Hardik Pandya doing PDA with his girlfriend were ewww,” another user commented.
Despite the controversy, Pandya remains one of India’s most influential white-ball cricketers and a key figure in the team’s World Cup triumph. However, the complaint has now added a legal dimension to what was otherwise a historic moment for Indian cricket. 🏏
