Outspoken journalist Abhisar gets a month’s protection from the apex court but directed to approach Gauhati HC for quashing of his FIR
The Supreme Court has today directed the renowned journalist and news channel owner Abhisar Sharma to approach the Gauhati High Court to seek cancellation of the FIR lodged against him by the Gauhati Police than coming to them but granted him a month’s guarantee for his protection from any legal action safeguarding him as was done in the case of the senior journalists and founder editor of The Wire Siddhartha Vardarajan, journalists of The Wire and Karan Thapar against whom too the Gauhati Police has lodged two FIRs under sedition charges for writing against the Assam CM.
There have been tremendous protests earlier by several media organisations like The Press Club of India, Indian Women Press Corps and Editors Guild of India in the firm of condemnation statements demanding immediate withdrawal of the Sedition Charges and FIR.
According to the latest news the senior advocate Kapil Sibal represented Abhisar Sharma in Supreme Court who argued that apex court had earlier granted protection to Siddhartha Vardarajan , and journalists of The Wire news portal and another senior journalist Karan Thapar against whom the Assam police had registered the FIR levelling Sedition Charges.
He said that there should be uniformity. He also asked if there will be registration of another FIR as happened with Vardharajan and Karan Thapar despite providing interim protection by the apex court, then what will happen ?
The Supreme Court has on Thursday , August 28, 2025 granted a four week interim protection to Abhisar Sharma, senior journalist while also directing him to approach the Gauhati High Court for quashing off his FIR as the same was lodged in Gauhati.
The FIR has invoked section 152 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita which criminalises the acts endangering the sovereignty, integrity and unity of the nation.
Abhisar Sharma, Sidhartha Vardharajan and Karan Thapar have been the outspoken and dashing journalists who write against government on significant issues termed as dissent against the ruling political dispensation.
Senior outspoken advocate of Supreme Court while arguing for Abhisar Sharma who has approached the apex court for quashing he FIR filed against him in Guwahati, Kapil Sibal said that section 152 has become “omnibus provision” which is being indiscriminately and frequently misused and invoked against those journalists who write against governments termed as dissent.
To this the two judge bench consisting of justices MM Sundaresh and N.Kotishwar Singh said that while they are giving protection to Abhisar for a month but for getting his FIR quashed he will have to approach the Assam High Court instead of bypassing it and coming to SC.
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