NEW DELHI: Centre on Wednesday told Supreme Court that it will challenge the Allahabad high court’s decision to quash the detention of Delhi University student activist Akriti Chaudhary under the National Security Act (NSA).Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, also clarified that a notice issued to a Greater Noida student over participation in the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest at Jantar Mantar was issued by an 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,” Mehta told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.Referring to the Allahabad high court’s recent order quashing Chaudhary’s detention, Mehta said, “That we are challenging.”Earlier in the day, the CJI reprimanded Greater Noida executive magistrate for issuing a notice to a student over participation in the CJP-led protest, questioning how the magistrate “dared” to issue the notice despite the Supreme Court’s earlier order.The apex court said it would seek an explanation from the executive magistrate over the issue.Earlier on September 2, Allahabad high court quashed Chaudhary’s detention under the NSA in connection with the April workers’ protest in Noida.A division bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and 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.The court also awarded Rs 5 lakh 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, and other officers responsible, including the SHO.
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Chaudhary, a history graduate from Delhi University, 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 related to the peaceful protest seeking higher wages.In its order, the high court also made significant observations on the role of the bureaucracy and police, noting that 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 court’s displeasure against the DM and police officers involved in preparing the dossier be recorded in their service records.
