Noida DM Challenges HC Order on Student's NSA Detention

The District Magistrate (DM) of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Medha Roopam, has approached the Supreme Court to challenge an Allahabad High Court order. This order had not only quashed the detention of a student under the National Security Act (NSA) but also directed that a compensation of ₹5 lakh be deducted from the DM's salary and those of other responsible officers.

The high court's decision, issued on September 2, centered on the case of Akriti Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Delhi University history graduate. Chaudhary was detained under the NSA in connection with the Noida workers' protest that took place in April. The court, while allowing Chaudhary's habeas corpus petition, found that her detention was based on a "concocted" story presented by the state.

It ordered her immediate release, provided she wasn't required in any other case.

In a scathing observation, the high court strongly criticized the manner in which the detention order was passed by DM Roopam. It issued a stern warning, stating that continued "despotic" conduct by "errant" bureaucracy could potentially transform Uttar Pradesh into an "Orwellian dystopia." Beyond quashing the detention, the court awarded Akriti Chaudhary ₹5 lakh in compensation.

It explicitly stated that this amount should be recovered from the salaries of DM Roopam and other officials deemed responsible, extending even to the Station House Officer (SHO) involved.

The legal saga intensified on September 9 when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that an appeal would be filed against the high court's decision to quash the detention order.

Chaudhary was initially arrested in connection with cases stemming from the Noida workers' protest in April 2026.

Subsequently, on May 13, the Uttar Pradesh Police invoked the NSA against her and activist-journalist Satya Verma.

Both were among several activists arrested during what were described as peaceful protests seeking higher wages.

The high court's order also included several significant observations regarding the roles and responsibilities of the bureaucracy and the police.

It underscored that officers are vested with immense powers because they carry the crucial responsibility of upholding the constitutional and legal rights, dignity, honor, and welfare of citizens.

However, the court emphatically reminded bureaucrats that their "loyalty is towards the constitution and not the political executive." It further emphasized that officers are "servants who serve the people, who are 'the masters in a democracy'." To underscore its displeasure, the court directed that its criticism against the DM and police officers involved in preparing the detention dossier be formally recorded in their service records.

This case highlights a critical judicial intervention against perceived overreach by executive powers, asserting the judiciary's role in safeguarding civil liberties and holding officials accountable for their actions. The Supreme Court's intervention will now determine the final outcome of this high-stakes legal battle.

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