The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave interim protection from arrest to journalist Abhishek Upadhyay in a case registered by Uttar Pradesh Police, after his lawyer alleged that the FIR was filed to harass him over his reporting on corruption and alleged irregularities in the Ram Mandir donation collection.
The FIR was registered in Ghaziabad on August 18 over an alleged road-rage incident. It also includes provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Upadhyay has denied the allegations, saying the case was linked to his reports on alleged corruption in Uttar Pradesh, including claims of theft and embezzlement involving donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Appearing for Upadhyay, senior advocate Pradeep Rai told the Supreme Court that his client’s reporting on the alleged misuse of Ram Mandir donations was the reason he was being targeted. Rai said CCTV footage from the alleged road-rage incident would establish that the complaint was baseless and asked that the footage be preserved.
Chief Justice Surya Kant said the court was not commenting on the merits of the allegations but acknowledged the journalist’s apprehension. The bench directed Upadhyay to approach the Allahabad High Court for relief and granted him interim protection from arrest.
The Supreme Court also directed Ghaziabad Police to provide Upadhyay with a copy of the FIR. The matter will next be heard on September 7.
Upadhyay welcomed the order, calling it a “big victory” and saying he would continue his journalism.
The Supreme Court order comes amid an ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in donations made to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
A Special Investigation Team set up by the Uttar Pradesh government has been examining allegations of theft during the counting of temple donations. In its preliminary report submitted in June, the SIT reportedly identified 70 instances in which counting staff allegedly hid bundles of notes and loose cash in their clothes, pockets and shoes.
The SIT also flagged alleged lapses by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and State Bank of India, which handles the trust’s banking operations.
The allegations are under investigation.
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