New Delhi, 24 August (H.S.): Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay, who had reported alleged irregularities involving donations at the Ram temple, has approached the Supreme Court seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him in a road rage case. The Supreme Court agreed to hear his plea after his counsel mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Suryakant on Monday and sought an early hearing. The court directed that the matter be taken up on Tuesday, August 25.

In his petition, Upadhyay has alleged that the road rage FIR was registered with an intention to target him. He claimed that he was being targeted by the Uttar Pradesh administration because he had reported alleged irregularities involving donations at the Ram temple.

Apart from his report on the alleged donation-related irregularities at the Ram temple, Upadhyay had also published an investigative report concerning an IAS officer in Uttar Pradesh. The report related to the alleged purchase of agricultural land worth Rs. 20 crore in Bhadohi in 2023.

The latest FIR concerning the road rage incident was registered in Ghaziabad on August 18 on the complaint of a two-wheeler rider. According to the FIR, the rider was allegedly hit from behind by Upadhyay’s vehicle and was subsequently subjected to verbal abuse.

The FIR has been registered against Upadhyay under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar