New Delhi, Sept 1: Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who has reported on alleged irregularities in donations to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Ghaziabad Police’s attempt to obtain his digital records from social media platform X.
Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Upadhyay’s counsel Anoop Prakash Awasthi said the police had sought the journalist’s “entire digital footprint” from June 1, 2026, despite the FIR against him relating to an alleged road rage incident on August 18.
Awasthi told the court that disclosure of the information could expose Upadhyay’s journalistic sources to the authorities.
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“My Lord was pleased to protect me. IO has sought all digital details since June 1, 2026 up till date, though the road rage incident was on August 18, 2026,” Awasthi submitted.
“That is the week (first week of June 2026) when I collected data to expose Ram Mandir theft. If that is disclosed, the entire source would be at the mercy of the State,” he said.
The counsel further told the Bench, which also comprised Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, that X had informed Upadhyay on August 26 that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghaziabad Police had requested his digital information.
“On the 26th (August), I was informed by X at its California headquarters that there is a request made by the investigating department, Criminal Investigation Department of Ghaziabad Police, to provide my entire digital footprint from June 1, 2026,” Awasthi said.
He argued that the period for which the information was sought had no apparent connection with the road rage case, as the alleged incident took place much later, on August 18.
The CJI said the court would examine the issue. “We will see. What is the problem? We have already protected you. Let them (Ghaziabad Police) investigate,” Justice Surya Kant said.
The latest plea comes days after the Supreme Court granted Upadhyay protection from coercive action in connection with the Ghaziabad FIR. On August 25, the Bench directed that no coercive action be taken against him in the case or any other FIRs, to the court’s knowledge, that may have been registered against him.
The court had also directed the police to provide Upadhyay with a copy of the FIR and sought a compliance affidavit from the investigating authorities.
The Bench, however, asked him to approach the Allahabad High Court for quashing of the FIR and listed the matter before the Supreme Court for September 7.
The FIR relates to an alleged road rage incident near Shipra Mall in Ghaziabad on August 18. Upadhyay has alleged that the case was based on concocted allegations and was intended to harass him over his journalistic work.
According to his earlier petition, a motorcyclist allegedly touched his car and subsequently called the police emergency helpline 112. An FIR was later registered at Indirapuram Police Station.
Upadhyay, who runs a YouTube channel, has alleged that a police team visited his residence late on August 20 in connection with the case and that he feared imminent arrest.
He has also alleged that police were pressuring nearby shopkeepers to delete CCTV footage of the incident and sought the release of the relevant recordings.
The journalist has claimed that the FIR was linked to his reporting on alleged corruption and irregularities in Uttar Pradesh, including his reports concerning the handling of donations to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
He has sought quashing of the FIR and, alternatively, transfer of the investigation to an independent agency such as the Delhi Police or the CBI.
