A contempt plea over alleged detention of journalists has been filed in the Supreme Court by Free Speech Collective, which alleges that reporters covering the Delhi protests were detained despite the Court’s October 11 direction.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
New Delhi: Free Speech Collective, an association working on press freedom and freedom of expression, has filed a contempt petition and a separate writ petition in the Supreme Court over the alleged detention and forcible removal of journalists covering the Delhi protests, alleging wilful disobedience of the Court’s order of October 11, 2026 [Free Speech Collective v. Union of India and Others].
Both petitions are filed through Advocate Aarthi Rajan. No bench or listing date was available at the time of writing, and the allegations below are those made in the petitions. They are untested, no response from the Delhi Police is available, and the Court has expressed no view on the merits.
The order allegedly violated
The petitions rely on the Court’s order of October 11, 2026, which, as described in the petitions, directed that lawyers, journalists and other professionals “shall not be hindered in discharge of their professional duties in any manner whatsoever.”
The allegations
The petitioner alleges that journalists were detained and removed from reporting locations at RK Ashram Marg, Connaught Place and other places after the order was passed. It cites the case of Nidhi Suresh of The News Minute, who is alleged to have been held until about 6:30 pm, and three Hindi-language journalists of The Indian Express, who are alleged to have been taken to Chhatrasal Stadium despite identifying themselves as members of the press.
According to the plea, no specific legal provision or individual reason was cited for the detentions. It argues that explanations attributed to police, such as confusion or journalists working too close to protesters, give no lawful basis for detention. The protests were held to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The prayers
In the contempt petition, Free Speech Collective seeks action for alleged wilful disobedience, identification of the police officers and supervising officials responsible, and disclosure of how the Court’s direction was communicated to personnel on the ground.
In the writ petition, it seeks an independent, time-bound inquiry into the alleged violence against journalists, action against those responsible, consideration of compensation, binding guidelines on police interaction with reporters during protests, and preservation of CCTV footage, police recordings and detention records. The petition argues that press freedom extends beyond publication to gathering and recording news.
Why the petition matters
The petitions put the position of reporters at protest sites before the Court that issued the October 11 directions, and ask it to decide how its direction protecting professionals applies to journalists on the ground. Whether any contempt is made out is for the Court to decide after hearing the respondents, and the allegations remain untested.
Case Title: Free Speech Collective v. Union of India and Others (contempt petition and writ petition)
Court: Supreme Court of India
Order allegedly violated: Order dated October 11, 2026
Appearances: Advocate Aarthi Rajan for the petitioner