SC Shields Journalist Who Flagged Ram Temple Donation Scam From Coercive Action in Road Rage Case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from coercive action to journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who has challenged an FIR registered against him by the Ghaziabad Police in connection with an alleged road rage incident.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and directed the authorities to furnish Upadhyay with a copy of the FIR registered at the Indirapuram police station.

The court also sought a compliance affidavit from the police and asked the journalist to approach the Allahabad High Court with a plea seeking quashing of the FIR. The matter will next be heard by the Supreme Court on September 7.

Upadhyay has alleged that the case was registered in retaliation for his reporting on alleged corruptions in Uttar Pradesh, including claims concerning the handling of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

In his petition, the journalist claimed that despite the FIR being registered, police had not supplied him with a copy of the document. He further alleged that investigators had approached local shopkeepers and pressured them to remove CCTV recordings from the period surrounding the alleged road rage incident.

The journalist has sought the quashing of the FIR. Alternatively, he has requested that the investigation be handed over to an independent agency outside the Uttar Pradesh Police.

The Supreme Court's order protects Upadhyay from coercive action for the time being and allows him to pursue the legal remedy before the Allahabad High Court.