No coercive action: SC shields journalist booked for 'tarnishing' UP CM's image

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to not take any coercive action against a journalist who was booked recently for authoring a "false and defamatory" post on social media with "an intent to tarnish the image" of chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

A bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai issued notice on a writ petition filed by Mamta Tripathi seeking quashing of the criminal cases, and in the meantime, asked UP Police to not take any coercive step against the petitioner.

Tripathi's plea said the impugned FIRs are bad in law as much as a journalist's duty is to serve the truth, to hold power accountable, and to inform the public without fear or favour. "The FIRs are politically motivated and attempts are being made to scuttle the freedom of the press by lodging frivolous cases against the petitioner," said the plea filed through advocate Amarjit Singh Bedi.

It added that the petitioner, through her story, attempted to point out the facts and reported events that transpired in the state of Uttar Pradesh, however, the "same has not gone well within the powerhouse of administration and frivolous FIRs have been filed against her".

"The petitioner has been an outspoken critic of corruption and corrupt practices or abuse of process prevalent in government machinery; and has regularly reported on the same. It is for this reason that she has often invited the ire of the government disposition," the plea said.

In November last year, an FIR was registered regarding a post on X made by the petitioner alleging that it was derogatory to religious sentiments. Another FIR was registered in May this year at Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi at the behest of the BJP district president regarding a post on X by the petitioner.

Later in June, an FIR was lodged regarding a post, according to which a high-ranking official’s vehicle was being used for personal purposes. Recently, on 20 September, an FIR was registered at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station regarding a post made by the petitioner alleging that it tarnished the image of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.