Supreme Court restrains Assam Police from taking coercive action against journalist Siddharth Varadarajan, others

The Supreme Court of India on Friday (August 22, 2025) restrained Assam Police from taking any coercive action against senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan and other journalists, including consulting editor, working with web portal "The Wire" in connection with an FIR lodged against them over a news article.

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the Order after senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for the journalists, said Assam police was circumventing the earlier orders passed by the court.

She said Mr. Vardarajan and other journalists, including a consulting editor, have been summoned on Friday (August 22, 2025) for recording statements in an old FIR lodged in May and there is apprehension that they may be arrested.

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The Bench, while protecting the journalists, said everyone is expected to follow the law and asked the journalists to join the investigation and file a status report on the next date of hearing.

On August 12, the top court had protected Mr. Vardarajan and restrained the Assam police from taking any coercive action against him in connection with an FIR lodged against him over an article on Operation Sindoor.