Will challenge Allahabad HC order quashing student activist's NSA detention: Centre to SC

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that an appeal would be filed against the Allahabad High Court's decision to quash the detention of Delhi University student and activist Akriti Chaudhary under the National Security Act (NSA).

The top law officer made the statement before a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

SG Mehta referred to an earlier mentioning by a senior counsel regarding a notice issued to a Greater Noida student over participation in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar, and clarified that the notice had been issued by a Greater Noida executive magistrate and not the district magistrate.

"I am not on the matter.. (but) the Noida DM is flooded with queries from media, etc. what order have you passed, etc," SG Mehta said.

As the bench recalled that the Allahabad High Court had recently quashed an order of the Gautam Buddha Nagar administration detaining another student and awarded her compensation, SG Mehta said, "That we are challenging."

Earlier on Wednesday, the CJI came down heavily on the Greater Noida executive magistrate for issuing a notice to a student for taking part in the CJP-led Jantar Mantar protest, asking how the magistrate "dared" to issue a notice despite the court's earlier order.

The apex court said it would seek an explanation from the Greater Noida executive magistrate over the issue.

The Allahabad High Court on September 2 quashed Chaudhary's detention under the NSA in connection with the April workers' protest in Noida.

A division bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev strongly criticised the manner in which the detention order was passed by the Noida district magistrate and warned that continued "despotic" conduct by "errant" bureaucracy could reduce Uttar Pradesh to an "Orwellian dystopia".

It also awarded Rs 5 lakh in compensation to Chaudhary and directed that the amount be recovered from the salary of Gautam Buddha Nagar DM Medha Roopam, who passed the detention order, as well as other officers responsible, down to the SHO.

Chaudhary is a history graduate from Delhi University and was arrested in connection with cases arising from the Noida workers' protest in April 2026.

The UP Police subsequently invoked the NSA against Chaudhary and activist-journalist Satya Verma on May 13. They were among several activists arrested in cases relating to the peaceful protest seeking higher wages.

In its order, the high court also made several observations on the roles of the bureaucracy and police. It said officers are entrusted with immense powers because they bear responsibility for upholding the constitutional and legal rights, dignity, honour and welfare of citizens.

It directed that the high court's displeasure against the DM and police officers involved in preparing the dossier be recorded in their service records.

(With inputs from PTI)