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SC stays HC strictures against Noida DM over activist’s NSA detention

  • Activist Akriti Chaudhary was detained under the National Security Act over a workers’ protest
  • Questions have been raised over the irregular listing of the case on Justice Sharma’s bench

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the Allahabad High Court’s strictures against Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam and its direction to recover ₹5 lakh in compensation from her salary over the detention of Delhi University graduate Akriti Chaudhary under the National Security Act (NSA), according to reports.

The apex court initially issued an interim order staying the relevant portions of the High Court judgment, triggering confusion over whether Chaudhary’s detention had also been stayed. The Supreme Court subsequently clarified that its order applies only to paragraphs 27 to 33 of the High Court ruling, which contained the adverse observations against the officials and the compensation direction. The High Court’s decision quashing Chaudhary’s NSA detention has not been stayed, according to the Law Beat.

The case stems from Chaudhary’s detention in connection with the Noida workers’ protest in April. The Allahabad High Court had earlier found serious deficiencies in the detention order and ordered her release, while directing that ₹5 lakh be paid to her as compensation. The court had also held that the amount should be recovered from Roopam's salary and from the salaries of other officials responsible for the detention.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and N Kotiswar Singh heard separate pleas filed by Roopam and the Uttar Pradesh government. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the district magistrate, while senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi represented the state.

The hearing itself has drawn scrutiny after the proceedings were muted and media access was restricted. A report by Live Law also questioned why the petitions had been specially listed before Justice Sharma’s bench, despite preventive-detention matters not forming part of his regular roster. A lawyer’s body subsequently raised concerns over the manner in which the case was handled.

Chaudhary, 25, had been in custody for months after her arrest in connection with the workers’ protest and the subsequent invocation of the NSA against her.

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