Coercive Actions Against Siddarth Vardarajana by Assam Police Suspended by Supreme Court
In a significant turn of events, Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Supreme Court of India. The protection comes in connection with an FIR registered by Assam Police over an article published by The Wire on Operation Sindoor.
The Supreme Court's ruling states that the Assam Police cannot take coercive action against Varadarajan or The Wire under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with acts "endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India."
Despite the Supreme Court’s interim relief, Assam Police filed a second FIR under Section 152 the same day and issued summons to Varadarajan and senior journalist Karan Thapar to appear for questioning on August 22, 2025. The summons reference FIR 03/2025 at the Crime Branch in Guwahati but do not provide detailed allegations. Other sections of BNS cited in the FIR include promoting enmity between groups, publishing false/misleading information jeopardizing national security, and criminal conspiracy.
The case has drawn condemnation from press freedom bodies, including the Press Club of India and the International Press Institute, who call for dropping the investigations and criticize the use of vague sedition-related laws against journalists.
It is important to note that this ongoing legal situation comes amidst broader debates over the use and constitutionality of Section 152 under the new BNS penal code replacing colonial-era laws.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Supreme Court has also issued a notice in a PIL filed by the Foundation for Independent Journalism, but the details of this case are not related to the current situation involving Varadarajan.
Lastly, it's crucial to clarify that the Supreme Court has not made any comments about MPs or Colonel Sofia Qureshi in this paragraph, as stated in a separate headline "Supreme Court Raps MP Over Vulgar Comments Against Colonel Sofia Qureshi."
References: [1] The Wire, (2025). Supreme Court grants interim protection to Siddharth Varadarajan in connection with FIR over Operation Sindoor article. [Online] Available at: https://thewire.in/law/supreme-court-grants-interim-protection-to-siddharth-varadarajan-in-connection-with-fir-over-operation-sindoor-article [2] Indian Express, (2025). Assam Police files second FIR against Siddharth Varadarajan, issues summons for questioning. [Online] Available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/assam-police-files-second-fir-against-siddharth-varadarajan-issues-summons-for-questioning-8317703/ [3] Press Club of India, (2025). PCIndia Condemns FIR Against Siddharth Varadarajan. [Online] Available at: https://www.pci.in/pcindia-condemns-fir-against-siddharth-varadarajan/ [4] International Press Institute, (2025). India: Drop investigations against journalist Siddharth Varadarajan. [Online] Available at: https://ipi.media/india-drop-investigations-against-journalist-siddharth-varadarajan/ [5] Operation Sindoor refers to India's targeted operation against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in May, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. [Online] Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/operation-sindoor-indias-targeted-strike-on-terror-infrastructure-in-pakistan/article31552857.ece
- The ongoing legal situation of Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, is a point of contention in the realms of policy-and-legislation, as it involves debates over the use and constitutionality of Section 152 under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) penal code, replacing colonial-era laws.
- The case surrounding Siddharth Varadarajan, which stems from an article published by The Wire on Operation Sindoor, has sparked criticism from press freedom bodies, including the Press Club of India and the International Press Institute, who have called for dropping the investigations and censured the use of vague sedition-related laws against journalists.
