- Police had asked X for login IPs, location, device and phone details covering nearly three months.
- The court said post-FIR data can be sought only if shown to be proportionate and necessary.
- Upadhyay may challenge the FIR and seek wider guidelines on journalists' digital privacy.
On 14 October 2026, Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made permanent their earlier protection for journalist Abhishek Upadhyay and quashed a Ghaziabad police notice of 22 August asking X for his account data from 1 June to 22 August. The court called the notice "overkill" because most of that period came before the 18 August road-rage incident. It said any data obtained could not be used against him. It did not rule on the FIR itself, which he may still challenge.
Claim by claim
The X data was sought mainly to trace and arrest Upadhyay.
Said by Commissioner of Police, GhaziabadThe Supreme Court found this explanation in contradiction with the notice, which sought data mostly from before the incident and the FIR.
Supreme Court of India (order, via MediaNama) · Hindustan TimesThe notice to X was an overkill.
Said by Supreme CourtThis is the court's finding in its 14 October order, which quashed the notice.
Supreme Court of India (order, via MediaNama) · The Hindu · Hindustan TimesWhat each side says
The Ghaziabad police commissioner told the court the data was needed to find Upadhyay, who could not be located after the FIR was registered.
Supreme Court of India (order, via MediaNama) · Hindustan Times · India TodayUpadhyay says the road-rage case was staged because of his reporting and sought to stop police from accessing his X account data.
The Hindu · Supreme Court of India (order, via MediaNama)Not yet known
- ?Whether a court will quash the road-rage FIR itself.
- ?Whether X had already handed over any data before the notice was quashed.
Sources
4 outlets across the spectrum. Leanings are a rough guide to who reported it, not a verdict on accuracy.
- Supreme Court of India (order, via MediaNama)Abhishek Upadhyay versus State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., order dated 14 October 2026
- The HinduSupreme Court makes protection from arrest 'absolute' for journalist who reported on Ayodhya Temple theft allegations
- Hindustan TimesSC quashes UP police notice asking social media data of journalist who reported Ayodhya temple theft
- India TodaySupreme Court protects Abhishek Upadhyay, quashes Ghaziabad Police notice seeking X data
Spasht writes original summaries. Follow the links to read each outlet's own report. Revision 1.