--- title: "SC to hear plea against FIR tied to journalist who reported Ram temple donations" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-hear-plea-abhishek-upadhyay-fir-8kg86 publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-24T07:13:07.567Z modified: 2026-08-24T10:00:07.635Z language: en-IN --- # SC to hear plea against FIR tied to journalist who reported Ram temple donations The Supreme Court will hear Abhishek Upadhyay's petition challenging an Ghaziabad FIR linked to his Ram temple donation reporting, amid claims of police raids, withheld documents, and pressure to delete CCTV footage. ## Key takeaways - The Supreme Court agreed to hear a writ petition by journalist Abhishek Upadhyay challenging an FIR in Ghaziabad tied to a road-rage incident. - Upadhyay alleges the FIR relates to his reporting on Ram temple donation irregularities and claims the FIR copy was not provided and CCTV footage was pressured to be deleted. - The petition seeks quashing of the FIR or transfer of the investigation to Delhi Police or CBI, and protection from arrest. ## What Happened The Supreme Court of India agreed to hear a writ petition filed by journalist Abhishek Upadhyay challenging an FIR filed by Ghaziabad police in a case described as road rage. The FIR, logged at Indirapuram police station, is alleged to involve Upadhyay in connection with an incident dated around August 18, near Shipra Mall in Ghaziabad. Upadhyay has claimed the FIR is connected to his reporting on irregularities in donations at Ayodhya’s Ram temple and asserts that the FIR copy was not supplied to him and that CCTV footage was being pressured to be deleted by shopkeepers. He has sought quashing of the FIR or transfer of its investigation to another agency, and he has requested protection from arrest. Police raids on his residence occurred on August 20, with additional mentions of a prior 5 o’clock visit and concerns about imminent arrest. The FIR reportedly includes provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, according to the petition. ## Why It Matters The case centers on a journalist’s reporting about alleged irregularities in Ram temple donations and the subsequent use of an FIR against him, highlighting tensions between investigative journalism and state action. Advocates for Upadhyay argue the proceedings appear aimed at harassing a reporter for his coverage. The Supreme Court's handling of the petition could set a precedent on how authorities manage cases involving journalists who report on politically sensitive issues and on the protection of evidence such as CCTV footage. ## Background The journalist is known for reporting on alleged theft and irregularities in Ram temple donations in Ayodhya. The Ghaziabad FIR connected to a road rage allegation is contested by Upadhyay, who says the incident described did not occur as alleged and that the reporting may be linked to his investigative work. Police actions described include raids on his residence and requests to preserve CCTV footage, along with questions about the completeness of the FIR being provided to him. The matter has been described in statements as involving multiple FIRs against the journalist, with one additional FIR under the SC/ST Act mentioned in court discussions. ## Key Facts - The Supreme Court agreed to hear Abhishek Upadhyay’s writ petition challenging an FIR lodged in Ghaziabad in connection with a road-rage incident. - The FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station and is linked to an incident near Shipra Mall in Ghaziabad on August 18. - Upadhyay contends the FIR is connected to his reporting on alleged irregularities in Ram temple donations in Ayodhya. - He alleges the FIR copy was not provided to him and that CCTV footage was being pressured to be deleted by nearby shopkeepers. - The petition seeks quashing of the FIR or transfer of investigation to another agency (Delhi Police or CBI) and protection from arrest. - Police reportedly raided his residence on August 20; there were mentions of imminent arrest concerns. - The FIR is described in the petition as including provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. ## What Happens Next The next procedural step is a listed hearing in the Supreme Court to decide whether to quash the FIR or transfer its investigation, with considerations including protection from coercive action and preservation of evidence such as CCTV footage. No further substantive outcome is available in the sources beyond the scheduling of the hearing. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-hear-plea-abhishek-upadhyay-fir-8kg86 Reported from: Multiple Sources