Supreme Court Quashes Police Request for Journalist's Data from X

India's Supreme Court has quashed a notice from the Ghaziabad Crime Branch seeking data linked to investigative journalist Abhishek Upadhyay's X account for a period preceding an alleged offense. The court ruled on October 14, 2026, that police cannot obtain personal information for a period before the alleged incident.

The police had requested login/logout IP addresses, location data, device details, and contact information. Upadhyay, who runs the digital news platform Top Secret, had published reports in June alleging misappropriation of donations and irregularities at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. He denies the charges and claims the incident was staged in retaliation for his reporting.

The court observed that the police request largely pertained to a period before the alleged road-rage incident and questioned the police's explanation for the data's necessity. The bench held that personal information cannot be obtained for the period before the offense, and even data post-FIR requires safeguards.

The decision sets a precedent for digital data collection in investigations, highlighting the importance of proportionality and privacy. The court suggested Upadhyay could seek mandatory guidelines for digital data collection by police in future proceedings. The ruling provides an interim framework for such police requests.