New Delhi, August 25: The Supreme Court has provided interim relief to journalist Abhishek Upadhyay in connection with an FIR filed regarding an alleged road rage incident in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. The court has halted any punitive action against him, including his arrest.
A bench led by Chief Justice (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan, issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government. The court ordered that no punitive measures be taken against Upadhyay concerning the FIR or any future FIR related to this case.
Additionally, the Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh police to provide a copy of the FIR registered at the Indirapuram police station to Abhishek Upadhyay. This will enable him to pursue appropriate legal remedies under the law.
The court also instructed the police commissioner of Ghaziabad to submit a compliance report, with the next hearing scheduled for September 7.
During the proceedings, the Supreme Court noted that once Upadhyay receives the FIR copy, he may approach the Allahabad High Court to seek its quashing or other suitable relief. Until then, he has been granted interim protection.
Senior advocate Pradeep Rai, representing Upadhyay, argued that this case is a “retaliatory attack” against his investigative journalism. He claimed that Upadhyay had published reports on alleged irregularities in the Ram Temple Trust and corruption within the Uttar Pradesh administration, leading to the filing of this FIR as an act of vengeance.
The petition asserts that at the time of the incident, Upadhyay was returning home with his daughter from school. During this time, a motorcyclist attempted to block his car and created a disturbance. Upadhyay contends that he did not engage in any conflict due to his daughter’s presence and tried to defuse the situation.
The petition further alleges that the entire incident was premeditated, and the complainant was used as retaliation against Upadhyay’s reporting. It also claims that CCTV footage from the vicinity could prove his innocence, prompting a request to preserve this footage.
Leave a Comment