Assam FIRs: SC extends protection to Siddharth Varadarajan, other journalists

The Supreme Court on September 15 extended interim protection to senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan and others facing criminal cases in Assam over an article published by a media portal on Operation Sindoor.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, representing the journalists, informed the court that they had written to the Assam Police but were yet to receive a reply. The court recorded the submission and adjourned the matter.

The cases stem from FIRs filed in Morigaon and Guwahati in July against the Foundation for Independent Journalism and Varadarajan. The charges invoke Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the successor to the colonial-era sedition law, along with other provisions. The section criminalises acts seen as endangering the “sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.”

On August 22, the top court had directed Assam Police not to take coercive action against the journalists and reminded them to cooperate with the investigation. “Everyone is expected to follow the law,” the bench had observed while calling for a status report.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the court he would file a detailed response to the main petition challenging the constitutional validity of Section 152. The plea was filed by retired Major General S G Vombatkere, who has questioned the provision’s compatibility with free speech rights. The bench allowed the Centre time to respond.

Varadarajan and the Foundation were booked after The Wire carried a report on Operation Sindoor, an offensive targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. (With inputs from PTI)