Supreme Court Shields Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay from Coercive Action by UP Police Over Road Rage FIR After Ram Mandir Donation Expose
The Supreme Court has granted interim protection from arrest to independent journalist and digital content creator Abhishek Upadhyay, ordering the Uttar Pradesh Police not to take any coercive steps against him across existing or potential criminal cases. Upadhyay had moved the apex court alleging targeted administrative harassment and fabricated criminal cases registered by state authorities in retaliation for his investigative reports exposing alleged donation embezzlement and financial irregularities at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The relief was granted by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana. Appearing for Upadhyay, senior advocate Pradeep Rai submitted that his client was being subjected to vindictive action by law enforcement following his investigative journalism on the management of temple funds by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The counsel stated that Ghaziabad Police had lodged a fabricated FIR at the Indirapuram Police Station over an alleged minor road-rage incident, invoking serious penal provisions including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act without providing the journalist with a copy of the complaint.
During the hearing, Upadhyay's legal team alleged procedural overreach and intimidation by the local police administration. The petition claimed that a police team conducted late-night visits to his residence and pressured nearby commercial establishments to delete CCTV footage that could disprove the complainant's allegations. The petitioner sought quashing of the FIR and requested that the probe be transferred away from the state police to an independent investigating agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation or the Delhi Police.
Acknowledging the petitioner's apprehension of imminent arrest amid repeated complaints, the bench issued formal notices to the state authorities returnable on 7 September 2026. The top court directed that no coercive action shall be taken against Upadhyay in connection with the Indirapuram FIR or any subsequent FIRs registered on similar allegations. The bench also directed the Police Commissioner of Ghaziabad to immediately provide a complete copy of the FIR to the journalist and submit a compliance affidavit.
The Supreme Court granted Upadhyay liberty to approach the Allahabad High Court to seek quashing of the proceedings and other statutory remedies once the official FIR documents are supplied. Legal commentators and media freedom advocates noted that the apex court's intervention highlights essential constitutional protections for journalists against procedural harassment and retaliatory action by state law enforcement agencies.