Relief for Noida DM as SC pauses HC's Rs 5 lakh recovery in student detention case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted a partial stay on an Allahabad High Court order that had strongly criticised Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam in the case relating to the detention of Akriti Chaudhary, a Delhi University History graduate, under the stringent National Security Act.
A Bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and NK Singh also paused the High Court’s direction requiring Rs 5 lakh to be paid to Chaudhary as compensation, with the amount to be recovered from the salaries of Roopam and the other officers involved in the case.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court muted the hearing and closed VC access on its directions before reserving its order.
The matter stems from Chaudhary’s detention in connection with industrial workers’ protests in Noida in April. Roopam approached the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict, which stated that the report against Chaudhary did not contain any credible material.
It observed that the officer concerned was expected to stay alert and scrutinise the records closely before invoking what it called the NSA’s “oppressive provisions.” The court had also said Roopam’s conduct in the matter was worthy of derision.
On September 2, a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev had set aside Chaudhary’s detention under the NSA and ordered that she be paid Rs 5 lakh as compensation.
The High Court had said the amount should be recovered not only from the District Magistrate’s salary but also from the salaries of all officers involved in preparing the report that led to her detention under the law.
The High Court had further said that officers of the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service owed allegiance to the Constitution and not to the political executive.
It also observed that when bureaucrats and police officers disregard their oath and loyalty to India and its Constitution, they are seen by people as an oppressive remnant of the British Empire. The court had also warned that if excesses by bureaucrats were not checked by the courts, the State could be reduced to an Orwellian dystopia.
With these observations, the High Court had cancelled Chaudhary’s detention under the NSA. The Supreme Court has now partly stayed that order, including the direction on compensation, and will take up the matter again on October 7.- EndsPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Sep 23, 2026 21:22 IST
